


Those Who Favor Fire

by theskullofhorror666



Series: Those Who Favor Fire [1]
Category: Twilight Series - Stephenie Meyer
Genre: Bisexual Character, F/F, F/M, Gay Male Character, LGBTQ Character, M/M, Pansexual Character, Trans Male Character, coronavirus menton
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-21
Updated: 2020-12-28
Packaged: 2021-03-01 22:48:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 31
Words: 32,053
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23764882
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theskullofhorror666/pseuds/theskullofhorror666
Summary: Worlds collide when 19 year old Elijah Uley, of the Quileute tribe meets the new boy in town, a newborn vampire by the name of Nico Holland.The most absolute law of Elijah’s tribe may protect the newcomer, when Elijah imprints on him, but what will Nico’s coven make of what blossoms into the most unlikely of romances?_________New chapter coming soon!Your patience and continued support for this work, despite my lack of activity, has not gone unnoticed during my impromptu hiatus!
Relationships: Leah Clearwater/Original Female Character(s), Original Female Character(s)/Original Male Character(s), Original Male Character/Original Male Character
Series: Those Who Favor Fire [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2169795
Kudos: 8





	1. Preface

“Some say the world will end in fire,  
Some say in ice.  
From what I’ve tasted of desire  
I hold with those who favor fire.  
But if I had to perish twice,  
I think I know enough of hate  
To say that for destruction ice  
Is also great  
And would suffice.”  


**\- Robert Frost**


	2. Morning Hunt

**Nico’s POV**

I stood in the bathroom, a bathroom that was essentially made useless by my body’s newly unchanging state, outside of changing from one outfit to another and my incessant obsession to perfect the state of my hair on a daily basis…..much to everyone else’s obvious disdain.

Several months had gone by, sure, but I just couldn’t get used to how….God, I can’t describe it….exhilarating? Extraordinary? How unbelievable my semi newly flat chest looked, and most importantly, how it made me feel.  
It had come at a cost….a cost that was nearly my life- err, a cost that WAS my human life, and while I would have it under better circumstances if I had to do it again, I just can’t convince myself to regret the timing I chose for it to happen.  
Afterall…...how could something that made me feel THIS good, possibly be a mistake, no matter when it happened?  
,....Even as badly I wished it could’ve come sooner...much, MUCH sooner.

I tossed a Ramones tee on, and my favorite leather jacket on over that, and finally got to work on my hair.  
Juuuust as I was though, a sudden rap hit against the door.  
“Gonna be much longer?” Leon, my brother for all intents and purposes, asked impatiently.  
“Probably about another half an hour….at least.” I guesstimated. “....sorry.”  
“AT LEAST?” He echoed back to me, annoyed. If I could’ve seen him, he was probably rolling his eyes. “At least, what the hell are you even doing in there?”  
He sort of laughed at that last part.

“....yeah, maybe more…” I chuckled. “You can’t rush perfection.”  
“It’s a hunt, Nic, we’re not meeting the Queen of England.” I heard him sigh as his footsteps faded into the distance.”

We may not be related by blood…….so to speak, but Leon is the closest thing to a brother, and arguably the best, I’ll ever have.

He was working, as a nurse, at the hospital where I had expected to die...and would’ve, if not for him, of COVID-19.  
In order to give me an actual, fresh start to living truer to myself than I’d been able, he made the decision to turn me, knowing the venom was the only known hope of saving my life.  
Me, having nowhere else to turn, he and his girlfriend, Imogen, took me under their wing.

….And thus, our little coven was born.

When I finally came out of the bathroom and made my way downstairs, towards the living room, Leon was sitting on the couch with his feet up on the coffee table and my copy of Stephen King’s The Stand in his hands, turned to one of the last pages.  
I shook my head. “You better not have lost my spot in that.”  
“Well…” he shrugged. “You shouldn’t have taken so long. “I had to read aaallll the way up to here…” He smirked. “..now you gotta wait for me.”  
I walked over to him, from behind the couch, and snatched it back out of his hands. “Gimme that!”  
“Fiiiine…” He fake whined. “You ready to go then, or uhh….did the perfectionist…” he added air quotes to perfectionist. “Have a strand fall out of place on his way down the stairs?”  
“The perfectionist” I chuckled, with my own air quotes. “...is ready to go now.”  
“Good, cause I’m dyin!” He laughed, messing up my hair just a bit.  
He laughed as I rushed to fix my hair back into place. “Come on, man, let’s just go.”  
“Alright, alright.” I sighed, deciding to change the subject. “Imogen coming with us?”  
He shook his head. “Nahh, she left hours ago, probably be back soon.”  
I nodded.  
“...Liz either.” He continued. “She was out yesterday…..just us guys, today.”  
“I like the sound of that!” I grinned, following him to the front door.

Imogen, more often than not, preferred to hunt alone, given that her diet differed from that of mine, Leon’s, and our adopted sister Liz’s. The rest of us, for the sake of morality, and like few others of our kind, preferred to stick strictly to the blood of animals.  
Imogen, on the other hand, found it more difficult to contain her thirst as such, and channeled her instincts to feed on the blood of humans that she believed were unworthy of life….and she was usually right.  
Leon sometimes accompanied her on these hunts, given that it wasn’t hard to justify feeding off of such scum as rapists and murderers...to name a couple, though if you ask me, I think he just tags along to be near her. I digress, though.

As we trekked through the woods, on the lookout for some unfortunate deer, or mountain lion...if we were lucky, Leon was still going on about my so called ridiculous hair habits.  
“Let it go, Lee.” I chuckled, shaking my head.  
“I just don’t get it, man.” He laughed. “Unless you’re trying to catch a hot date out here. I mean, you do you, but I’d prefer not to starve.”  
“Ha ha.” I uttered, humorlessly, pulling Leon back and shushing him, when I heard something rustling in the bushes.  
We crept up on whatever it was, moving carefully so as not to draw attention to our presence as we inched closer, and closer to it. 

We hid behind a nearby log, peeking over ever so carefully, to see that it was a deer.  
Before we could get anywhere near it, however, something even bigger rushed by in the distance, likely in pursuit of something else, and scared it away.  
“Fucking wolves.” Leon muttered under his breath.  
“Yeah, they’re the worst.” I chuckled. He blames everything he can on wolves.  
He’d already taken off in pursuit of something else though, some other poor soul.  
I shook my head and took off in his direction.

Sure enough, Imogen was already back from her hunt, likely had been for a while now, when we walked back in the door.  
She leapt from the second story balcony, which overlooks the living room, to the downstairs front doorway when she saw Leon come in just ahead of me.  
“Hey, Babe.” She greeted, kissing him. “Missed you today.”  
“Me too.” He growled, playfully, back. “You have a good hunt?”  
“I did….well, good for me, anyway.” She smirked. “Humans are scum.”  
“I hear that.” He agreed, kissing her again, til she noticed I was there.  
“Nice hair.” She teased. “How long did it take you today?”  
“I almost left without him today.” Leon teased, before I could answer.  
“Still a riot, man.” I chuckled, before heading upstairs to give them some privacy.


	3. Him

**Elijah’s POV**

I wandered through the near empty Thunderbird and Wale bookstore. Empty, except for maybe two or three other people, that were browsing some aisles over.

I was beginning to skim through one of the romance paperbacks, for lack of anything actually good here that I hadn’t already burned through, when the vile, familiarly repulsive stench of a nearby bloodsucker filled the air around me.  
I huffed, scoping for the pair of red eyes I’d have to kill for invading my immediate vicinity, when a voice addressed me from afar.  
“What, no Stephen King?” He remarked, snidely.  
I turned my head, intending to confront him, but froze instead, when his blood red eyes met mine. Suddenly, I’d forgotten what his presence had previously provoked in me….almost like...like the whole world just stopped turning in that moment.  
It was….like nothing I’d ever felt before.

He stood there, smirking, but waiting for my answer, while I just stood there…..admiring him, and the way his wavy, dark hair, which just barely met the top of his shoulders, was styled perfectly complimented his flawless features.

“.......Just uh, not particularly a fan….” I chuckled, nervously.  
He nodded, somewhat condescending like. “But you are, of romances, apparently.”  
I shook my head, trying not to look like I was embarrassed. “Maybe if I had to indulge in a guilty pleasure, but nah. Not by choice, anyway. More lack of options I haven’t burned through yet.”  
“I hear that.” He laughed. “One of the only things I miss about living in a big city.”  
I nodded. “So, you’re not from around here then?”  
“Not at all.” He reaffirmed. “I’m from New York. See, some folks back home think I died of Covid, along with my dad, so me and my brother moved away to avoid suspicion.”  
“I see…”  
“Just easier, for the most part, I didn’t know too many people back home, and a fresh start sounded pretty damn good, anyway.”  
“I can understand that.”  
He nodded, looking back at the book in my hand. “You know, if you’re serious about just lacking reading material, I can recommend you some good King books.”  
“Sure.” I shrugged. “I’ll bite”  God, why did I say that? “Whatcha got?”  
He gestured in the direction he started walking, for me to follow him. 

When he got to the shelf, which was just a few feet away from where we were just standing, he started skimming it for something. What specifically, he wouldn’t tell me.  
“Let’s see….” He trailed off, browsing the small section. “Now The Stand is eerily relevant to...certain events of just a few months back, buuuut it’s also quite a bit longer than what I would recommend a newer fan of his, like yourself.” He picked through a few more. "Lisey’s Story is a pretty unique romance, if you were only half serious back there.”  
I rolled my eyes a bit. “I thought Stephen King only wrote horror stories.”  
“Nahhh.” He said. “It’s just his specialty…..and I’ll admit, Lisey’s Story is arguably an acquired taste.”  
I took it from him anyway, while he continued looking.

“It does have a unique cover though.” I observed.

The dust jacket was a plain red, with the outline of a shovel cut out so you could see through it, while the book itself was covered in a mix of colorful and black and white flowers, and the word babyluv scrawled in cursive in a bottom corner.

“Now, I could be an asshole…” He continued. “And rec ya Cycle of the Werewolf , for that I’ll bite  comment…..buuut I’m feeling nicer than that today, so I’ll recommend one of my favorites.”  
He pulled out a slightly thinner book. “It’s called Gerald’s Game. It’s pretty short, compared to some of his other works, and gives you a real idea of just how sick and twisted his mind can really work.”  
“Mmmmhmm…” I remarked, looking over the cover. “Sick, and forward, right?” I joked, noting the bed on the cover which had a pair of handcuffs hanging from it.”  
“I thought you might notice that.” He chuckled. “Yeah, it’s sort of a romance gone horrifically wrong.”  
“Well, that, I could get into.” I chuckled back.

“...Well, I should probably split.” He finally said. “Guess I’ll see ya around?”  
I nodded. “Hopefully, you seem pretty invested in me taking this book.”  
“I mean, how else do you think I could stand the smell of ya to stand so close?” He joked. “No offense.”  
“None taken” I laughed. “Wet dog smell is also an acquired taste.”  
“That’s one way to put it.” He smiled. “Well, if you do see me again, and I’m with my brother...he’s taller than me and kinda darkish blonde hair, and I don’t say anything, it’s not personal….he’s not as nice your kind as I am, and I wouldn’t wanna start anything.”  
I nodded. “Duly noted.”

I took off to pay for my book, and we parted ways…..though I just knew I would continue to replay that encounter over and over….and over...and over in my head throughout the rest of the night.

I was undecided on if I really was gonna crack open that book right away …..but God….   
I just couldn’t stop thinking about him…..whatever the hell his name was.Why the hell hadn’t I thought to get his name? IDIOT. I thought to myself.  
I was just so mesmerized by him I….I couldn’t think. 

All I really could think about was how passionately he talked about those books, and of his favorite writer….and how I wanted to have a reason to talk to him again, if I ever had the good fortune to run into him again….  
What am I thinking, “if”, of course I’ll see him again. Forks isn’t exactly Seattle.

I tried to shake him from my head…..for the time being anyway, just long enough to focus on the next page and on whether or not Jessie Burlingame was gonna get her hands….or rather, hand….on that glass of water.


	4. Stalking

**Nico’s POV**

I was sitting up in the branch of my favorite tree, my favorite pot to become immersed in a Stephen King book….or any book, for that matter, these days, finally finishing the last pages of The Stand. Rather I was immersed in those last pages, and so much so that I nearly missed that familiar, putrid scent of a wet dog...but worse, stronger, nearby, until I heard someone who seemed to be trying to get my attention.

“I know that’s you up there, I can smell you all the way down here!” The voice joked.  
I laughed, shaking my head, and marking my spot in my book to set it aside and look down to find that it was in fact the wolf boy from the bookstore the other day.  
“Yeah, you could say you’re barking up the right tree, I suppose!” I called back down to him.  
He laughed and shook his head. “I guess I deserve that, for the I’ll bite comment, back at the bookstore!”  
“Indeed!” I answered.  
I picked my book back up and leapt down to the ground to see him.God, I love doing that.   
This new life definitely has its perks.  
“I’ll never get used to being able to do that!” I chuckled. “Say, I didn’t get your name the other day.”  
“Or yours” He laughed, putting his hand out to shake. “Mine’s Elijah.”  
“Nico.” I answered.  
He nodded. “Cool name.”  
“Thanks, I picked it myself.” I laughed. That’s the first time I’ve gotten to use that line.   
“Did you, now?” He chuckled nervously, making clear he was trying to side step another I’ll bite comment.  
“Yeah, my old one was a little feminine for my taste.” I explained. “I’m trans.”  
“I thought you were Nico.” He teased…..horribly. “I kid, I kid...that’s cool though, glad you have one that works for you now.”  
“Smooth save.” I chuckled. “Thanks though.”  
“Don’t mention it.”

“So, what brings you to my neck of the woods...so to speak?” I asked, changing the subject.  
“Thought I’d come out here for a run.” He answered. “Caught wind of your wretched scent, decided to follow it.”  
“So, you were stalking me?” I teased.  
“Well, not at first…” He attempted to defend. ‘...Not intentionally, anyway.”  
I shook my head. “You really wanted my name that badly.”  
“....I wouldn’t put it quite like that.”  
“Hey, I admitted to you that I only got near you to get something I wanted.” I reminded him.  
“You did…” He sighed. “Fine, I was curious.”  
“See, now was that so hard to admit?” I teased.  
“You have no idea.” He sighed.  
“I’m sure.”  
“So what about you?” He asked, changing the subject. “Come all the way out here to read some King?”   
“I like my alone time. I explained, pointing up the tree. “My branch up there is a pretty great place to do that.”  
“Oh, your branch?” He laughed.  
“You know what I meant.” I sighed.  
“Well, you want me to get out of here?” He asked, pointing to my book. “Let you finish that?”  
“Nah, you’re fine.” I chuckled. “Not my first time reading it, anyway.”  
His eyes widened as soon as I said that. “You’ve read THAT more than once?”  
I nodded. “Going on three times, now.”  
“Must be a damn good book, then.” He marveled. “Now, I’m kinda curious.”  
“Tell you what.” I suggested. “Finish Gerald’s Game, and this is yours….to borrow, anyway.”  
“Done deal.” He agreed. “I’m right near the end, I’ll finish it tonight.”  
“You’d better.” I said. “How you likin it?”  
“Honestly?”  
“Please.” I insisted.  
“I’ve barely put it down since I picked it up.” He admitted. “You have good taste in books.”  
“What can I say, man? The King don’t disappoint!”  
“We’ll see about that.” He chuckled.  
“So, how am I to know when you finish that?” I smirked. “You gonna stalk me again?”  
“Don’t tempt me.” He joked.  
“Got a phone on you?”  
He shook his head. “Not a lot of pockets in my wolf form…..and I don’t like leaving it behind in my pockets.”  
“Put yours in mine then…” I suggested, shuffling it out of my own pocket and handing it to him. “That’ll work.”  
He punched in his name and number before handing it back to me.  
“I expect to hear from you by tomorrow.” I told him.  
He nodded. “I expect you to count on it.”   
I rolled my eyes. “Do you ever run out of bad vampire puns?”  
He thought for a minute. “.......okay, that one was unintentional.” He insisted.  
“If you say so.” I snickered.  
“It waaassss, I swear.” He whined.  
“Alright, I believe you.” I laughed.  
“I don’t think you do.”  
“Well, that’s your problem then.”  
He sighed.  
“....Alright, maaaybe I don’t.” I admitted.  
He shook his head in defeat.  
I smirked  
“Well, either way, I gotta be takin off.” He said. “I’ll see ya around.”  
“Later, then.” I watched him right up until he faded off into the distance, before returning up to my branch to sit back down with what remained of The Stand.

The TV was on, commercial break playing, while Leon and Imogen were making out on the living room couch when I walked through the door.  
Leon broke away and looked up when I let the door shut behind me.   
I snickered a little. “You know, I can come back….”  
“No, no. You’re already here.” Leon chuckled, waving me in. “Finish that brick of yours?”  
“It’s called The Stand.” I sighed. “And, yes. I finished it again.”  
Imogen was the first to take note of something off and wrinkle her nose. “...And why do you reek of mutt? I can smell you all the way over here.”  
“His name is Elijah.” I sighed. “And I ran in to him on my way back.”  
Imogen held her glare toward me.  
“...He noticed my book and got talking about Stephen King, I didn’t wanna be rude.” I lied.  
Leon put a hand on Imogen’s shoulder, holding her back. “Let him be, Gen, he’s just a kid.”  
“But with a MUTT though…” She growled.  
“Your compassion is overwhelming, Imogen.” Liz sighed, as she walked through the room. “Anyone seen my laptop?” She asked, attempting to change the subject.  
“Upstairs, in the study, where you last used it.” Leon answered.  
“Thanks.” She said, turning back up the stairs.

“Anyway, she has a point though, werewolves aren’t good company to keep.” Leon added. “Or didn’t you learn anything from Silver Bullet?"  
“Why you gotta play the Stephen King card, man?” I sighed.  
“It’s a good card to play.”  
I shook my head and headed up the stairs. “It’s an unfair card, is what it is.”


	5. The Downside Of Wolf Telepathy

**Elijah’s POV**

_Nico…...Nico, Nico, Nico…_ I thought to myself, on my long walk back to the reservation.  
Sure, running back in my wolf form would be a hell of a lot quicker, but I enjoyed the walk.   
Nico has his branch, I have my walks to myself…….course...having my head to myself when I couldn’t get Nico out of it was also a key deciding factor…...kinda the biggest downside of the whole wolf telepathy aspect of phasing.

So far as I’ve been told, telepathy isn’t a recurring thing in most vampires, and for that I envied them. Nico likely didn’t have to go home to his brother, and whoever else he lives with, pestering him about the mutt he bumped into at the bookstore and who later stalked him, he wouldn’t have to worry about how often he thought about him because he was the only one who knew he was even thinking about him at all….much less as often as he did. _Which, if it’s as often as I’ve been thinking of him, is a damn lot_.

Quil, and some of the others, were outside roughhousing when I finally set foot back on the reservation, dropping it all as soon as they saw me.  
“Elijah! Hey, man, where’s your little bloodsucker of yours?” Jared called out.  
“Yeah, when do we get to meet this Nico??” Embry interjected.  
I shook my head. “Hilarious, both of you!  
“Aww, come on, man!” Quil, this time, insisted. “Don’t we deserve to know?”  
“You’re in my head, you know too much already.” I sighed. “Sam around?”  
“Yeah, he and Em just got back while you were stalkin your new boyfriend!” Brady answered.  
“Goddamned riot.” I scoffed to myself. “Thanks a lot, guys!” 

Emily was in the middle of fixing lunch when I came in the door, Jared wrapped in a headlock and trying to fight me off.  
“Alright, I give, I GIVE!” He laughed, catching Emily’s attention.  
“Hey, boys.” She greeted.  
“Hey, Em!”, still holding my grip.  
“Hey-OW, Elijah!” He attempted to wrestle out of my grip, barely even looking up.  
“You gonna let it go?”  
“Fine, sure” He claimed   
I loosened my grip on him and he slipped free.  
“...For now, anyway!” He snickered, phasing and bolting, before I could get my hands back on him.  
Emily just laughed. “Well, I’m making lunch, if you’re hungry.”  
“Lunch would be great. Thanks, Em”   
“So when do we get to meet this mystery boy of yours?” She asked  
“They told you, huh?” I chuckled.  
“Well, not directly…” She admitted. “....but, you know how word gets around here.”  
“Right...well, I met him at the bookstore, then we got talking about the book he was reading. His name’s Nico.”  
“You were stalking him.” Sam teased, roughing my hair up, on his way over to Emily. “It’s alright, nothing to be ashamed of.”  
“Shut up.” I scoffed.  
“Can’t put anything past your brother, man!” He laughed.  
“Doesn’t mean I can’t try.”  
“Right, well good luck with that.” He chuckled, kissing Emily as he took his plate and sat down.

After lunch, I decided to try out Nico’s reading in the woods route of getting some peace to finish the last part of _Gerald’s Game_ ……..or so I told myself. Really, I think I was just hoping He’d still be out there, even if he was just getting ready to head back, if nothing else. Maybe I might catch him on his way.

I managed to find a tree that was far enough away from the one he seemed to claim, that it wouldn’t be too obvious that my presence was any less than a coincidence.  
I sat myself down, and made myself comfortable under it, as I cracked open my book, partly waiting for him and partly genuinely eager to find out how Jessie was finally gonna free herself from these cuffs.

“Still stalking me, I see!” That familiar voice chuckled, just after I had finished the final page.  
“Maybe I just wanted a little peace and quiet.” I lied.  
“....You’re gonna have to do better than that.” He smirked. “Although, I do see you’ve finished that, so I suppose there is some truth to your story.”  
I raised my eyebrows. “Well, how do you know I really did, maybe I’ve just been sitting here with it open and shut it when I saw you coming, to give you the impression that I was just out here to read? If I didn’t know better, I’d say maybe you were up to a little stalking, yourself.”  
“Because NOBODY who sits down with _Gerald’s Game_ …..who has good taste, anyway, can resist finishing the rest, once they’ve gotten that far.” He answered…...and I maaay have been.  
“...I was only half serious about stalking me, Nico, but good to know.”  
“Well, either way, we’re even now!” He chuckled.  
“....for now, anyway.”  
He nodded. “So, was I right, or was I right about that book?” He asked, changing the subject.  
“RIGHT is an understatement.” I corrected. That is a damn good book!”  
“I told ya.” He said, proudly. “Stephen King does NOT disappoint!”  
I shook my head in agreement. “Not with this one, anyway.”  
“Well then, I guess I owe you _The Stand_ to borrow.”   
I nodded. That was the deal.”  
:Well, I’m a man of my word” He promised. “Meet me back out here tomorrow, I’ll get it to you.”  
“Done deal.” I agreed. “Shall I stalk you again? Or are you gonna tell me a time?”  
“I’m usually out here in the mornings, but I will text you when I know an exact time.” He laughed.  
“I’m sure you will.”  
He nodded. “I have to ask though….how’d you know I’d still be out here? You knew I only had a few pages left in this.”  
“....in all honesty, I’m not a good stalker.” I admitted. “I actually didn’t catch how much more you had in your book.  
“You’ll learn.” He chuckled. “In all honesty, though, I was hoping you would catch that I actually had two books on me today.” He pulled a much skinnier book from behind him.  
 _“Cycle of the Werewolf.”_ I read out loud, from the cover of his nook, shaking my head. “Should’ve seen that one coming.”  
“Like I said, you’ll learn.”  
I nodded. “I will certainly make a note of it.”  
“You’d better.” He stacked his books on top of one another, placing the bookmark from The Stand in between two of the top pages of Cycle of the Werewolf. “I’ll see ya tomorrow, then.”  
“Count on it.” I started turn back in the opposite direction, but turned around to call him back when he started to do the same. “Wait a minute……”  
He turned around to face me again.  
“....If you have _The Stand right there, and you’ve finished it…._ ” I pointed out. “Why am I meeting up with you tomorrow to get it from ya?”  
“....Maaaaybe I just wanted a reason to see ya again tomorrow…” He lied….badly.  
I held my focus on him.  
“....And, I might have to loan you my other copy.” He admitted.  
“Okay….we’ll get into why you have two copies of that later…” I chuckled. “Why do I have to have my own copy though, don’t you trust me?”  
“Wolf I met in the bookstore the other day, and stalked me today….sure, why shouldn’t I trust you?” He teased.  
“Ouch….” I snickered. “Fair enough though.”  
“Alright, I’m only half serious.” He admitted. “My brother will be suspicious if I come back with one less of my precious King books…..even more so if it comes back smelling like-”  
“Like mutt?” I finished for him.  
“I wasn’t gonna put it quite like that.” He chuckled “but I suppose you get the gist of it.  
“I suppose I do.” I reaffirmed, “Alright, take your precious King books then, I’ll just wait til tomorrow to be enlightened.”  
“That’s the spirit!” He teased back. “All right, I’ll see you then.”  
I waved as he took off. “Later.”


	6. Not A Vampire Cliche

**Nico’s POV**

I made my way downstairs, my loaner copy of The Stand tucked under my arm and behind The Institute so as not to draw attention to why I was restarting the former so soon after having finished it…..again, if anyone happened to be in the living room before I got out to loan it to Elijah.  
Liz, of course, caught me before I could make my getaway, though.  
“Seein your little wolf boy again?” She asked, knowing the answer.  
“Sorry?” I chuckled.  
“Nico, a number of things are exclusive to the werewolf community, but telepathy’s not one of them” She laughed, pointing to the top of her head. “Plus, I see you trying to hide your loaner copy of The Stand there.”  
“...Right.”  
“It’s cute.” She added. “And I’m not gonna tell if you don’t.”  
I nodded. “Yeah, I’d rather not….you know how Leon is….and Imogen’s even worse.”  
“Well, Leon and Imogen don’t live in a little place I like to call Earth.” She shrugged. “One should be able to keep company with whoever they see fit, regardless of species.”  
“Preaching the converted.” I smirked, heading toward the door.. “Alright, see ya later.”  
She waved a hand up as I left. “Later.”

I flew up to my reading branch, to text Elijah and crack open The Institute while I waited for him to get here.  
“You know where to find me, see you when you get here.” I texted, before shuffling it back into my pocket

I wasn’t too much farther from where I’d picked up reading The Institute. Luke, the main character, was just gettng pulled in for his first test, when Elijah’s voice broke my focus.  
“Been waitin long?!” He called up from the ground.  
I placed my bookmarker right where I was, a thing I NEVER did unless I had finished a chapter….well..almost never. “No such thing as too long when you’ve got a good book!”  
Books under my arm, I flew down to where he was standing…..pun not intended.  
He smiled at the sight of me. “So I’ve heard.”  
I handed the book to him. “.....So, surely you didn’t come all the way out here with the intention of only getting The Stand from me…good as it is….”  
“Not particularly.” He shrugged. “Unless you have other plans….”  
“Just one….though nothing that you couldn’t tag along for.”  
“Well, that would depend.” He said.  
I snickered. “...so he’s a picky stalker, is he?”  
“Just not a good one, if you recall.” He chuckled.  
“Fair enough.” I laughed. “Alright, well it’s another bookstore trip. Thunderbird and Wale is supposed to get in Stephen King’s newest work today.”  
He nodded. “I see…..what’s this one called.”  
“...you’re gonna think it’s some dumb vampire cliche or pun or something.”  
“....Is it Salem’s Lot, because I’m pretty sure that’s an old one.”  
I chuckled. “It’s not, but kudos on doing your homework.”  
“What is it then?”  
“......If It Bleeds…” I sighed.  
He smirked. “Of course it is.”  
“Uh huh….might wanna wipe that smirk off your face, unless you want me to change my mind.”  
“We’ll see what happens.” He snickered.  
I rolled my eyes, leading him toward the direction I came here from.

“Your eyes are a different color.” Elijah noted, while I parked the car.   
Liz had been gracious enough to loan me hers for the day, given I knew I’d never hear the end of it if I got so called mutt stink, as he would put it, in his precious truck which I usually borrowed.  
“Sorry?” I chuckled, shutting my door behind me.  
“Your eyes.” He repeated. “They’re brown today, I didn’t think they did with newborns.”   
“Contacts.” I explained. “Red eyes tend to set off red alerts to your typical bookstore crowd. I like to stay low key, when I can.”   
He hopped out of his side. “Smart.”   
“I try.” I chuckled.

The New Arrivals section was a small shelf, which sat in front, next to the entrance of the store.   
Luckily, a small handful of copies of If It Bleeds, still remained.   
I grabbed one up and held it for Elijah to see, when he came in the door just behind me.   
“Just in time.” I noted.  
“I guess.” He agreed. “Must be pretty good.”   
“It’s the King, what do you expect?” I smirked, skimming through it a little, before closing it again. “Wanna look around some more, as long as we’re here?”  
“I don’t see why not.” He answered. “Lemme take a wild guess at where you wanna start.”   
“As long as you still start on The Stand tonight. I can’t tell you how many times I vowed I was gonna start one book and then found a completely different one that I just had to read before the original one.”   
“You’re reeeaally set on that one.” He smirked, pretending to consider it for a minute. “I think I can manage that.”   
I led him toward the aisle. “I’m holding you to that.” 

He flipped through the small bag of CDs I’d brought along for the trip, on the way back.  
“You’ve got some good tunes in here, man.” He marveled. “These are all yours, right.”   
I chuckled. “I see, you expected more Vampire Weekend or Vampires Everywhere albums, right?”   
“Not particularly.” He answered. “Although now that you mention it...ha ha…….nah, I meant cause you mentioned this was your sister’s car.”   
“Ohhh….right, right. Yeah, no, I always make sure I have my own tuneage on me.”  
“As you should.” He remarked, chuckling at the term. “How bout this one?”  
He held up Rocket To Russia  by The Ramones.   
“Good taste.” I noted taking the disc from him and slipping it in the player. “I usually borrow Leon’s car, when I need to, he’s lucky enough to still have a cassette player in his.”  
“You like cassettes, huh?”  
I nodded. “Cassettes, Records…what can I say? I like old school stuff.”   
“....and yet you claim you’re not a cliche” He sighed. “Isn’t that a vampire thing too?”   
“Oh my God…” I rolled my eyes, which had already burned through the contacts from earlier, trying not to laugh. “Sometimes….when we get to be a hundred, two hundred, etc…..not when we just got turned some odd months ago.”   
“Duly noted.” He laughed.  
“God, I’m beginning to see why Leon’s so done with your kind.” I teased.  
“Aww, come on. That’s not fair!” He protested.  
“I think it’s more than fair. And remember, you’re lucky I even let you come, after your reaction to my book choice today.”   
“Oh let me come?” He smirked.   
Still trying not to laugh. “Yeah, let you come. I let you come and stink up my sister’s car with your scent because you promised you’d behave.”   
“I made no promises…” He pointed out. “Remember, I said we’ll see?”   
“You’re impossible.” I sighed, letting a laugh slip out.  
“So I’ve been told….” He grinned, putting his feet up on the dash.   
I rolled my eyes. “And to think, I’m letting you borrow The Stand."


	7. The Conversation

**Elijah’s POV**

Nico pulled the car up to as close as I would let him get to the reservation, so as to avoid making a scene if any of the guys decided they felt like getting on my case again.

I grabbed _The Stand_ and unbuckled my seatbelt, opening the door to get out. “Thanks again, for letting me tag along. And for the book too, I’ll get crackin on that tonight!”  
“You’d better.” Nico chuckled. “I expect updates.”  
“You’ll get em.” I promised, hopping out of the car.  
I stood for a moment before shutting the door behind me. “Same place tomorrow?”  
“You’re the stalker.” He smirked. “You tell me.”  
“I’ll take that as a yes then.” I shut the door behind me, about to start my walk home, when a voice addressed me from a distance.  
“Was that your boyfriend? He’s cute!” Naomi, one of the few girl shapeshifters of our tribe, beamed just a little too cheerfully for my taste. Juuust what I was trying to avoid.  
“How do you even know about that?” I asked, making sure Nico had already driven away. _Thank God, he had._   
“Not denying iiiiit!” She sang.  
“You didn’t answer my question.” I sighed.  
“Collette told me, you know we don’t have any secrets from each other” She grinned.  
I rolled my eyes. “Right, Collette.” Collette Littlesea. More like, Collette Big Mouth.  
“And I guess you know the guys haven’t shut up about it either.”  
I nodded. “Unfortunately…..kinda why I was hopin it wouldn’t get out of the pack….at least not yet.”  
“Sorry.” She chuckled. “I’d say you should’ve joined our pack, but you know how Leah is.”  
“Yeah, well, disdain for Nico’s kind isn’t really a Leah thing, it’s more of a wolf thing.” I reminded her, though Leah did seem to have a particular disdain for vampires.  
“It’s not a you thing.” She pointed out. “...and you’re a wolf, last I checked.”  
“Yeah, imprinting’s weird.” I sighed. “And I suppose Leah knows too, since you mentioned her.”  
“Yeah, and she’s still not happy about it.” She admitted, defeatedly. “You imprinted though, so she doesn’t have to like it.”  
“Well, I think I can deal with that.”  
“Good.” She chuckled. “And speaking of Leah, I probably shouldn’t keep her waiting.”  
“Probably not.” I agreed.  
She went ahead of me, but turned around before she took off. “Nico and Elijah….that even sounds cute together!”  
“Man, get out of here!” I groaned.  
She giggled, phasing into her shaggy coated, white and brown wolf form as she took off.  
I shook my head. Figures, she wouldn’t be concerned with what happened to her clothes, if she was meeting up with Leah.  
I snickered a little at my own remark and continued the walk up to my house.

Just as I had gotten comfortable in my bed, about to start on _The Stand_ , see what all the fuss was about, my phone rang.   
Intrigued, as almost no one really ever bothered me this late, I picked it up to find Nico’s name lighting up the screen.  
I smiled, tapping to answer it. “Checking in on me already?” I laughed. “I’ve got it in my lap, as I speak. I’ll even send you a picture to prove it.”  
“What did your friend mean when she asked, was that your boyfriend, earlier?” He asked, indirectly answering my question, and sounding more amused than anything.  
“Ohh, who’s stalking who now, hmm?” I snickered.  
“Exceptional hearing is not exactly exclusive to your kind.” He explained, sarcastically. “I heard her say it right before I took off.”  
“Right, stalking.” I snickered again.  
“Just answer the question.” He sighed. “I’m not offended, just nosy.”  
“I can tell.”  
He waited for an answer.  
 _I sighed. I was NOT ready to have this conversation tonight._ “So, I’ve mentioned the whole wolf telepathy thing, right?”  
“You have not, I’ve heard rumors though.” He answered.  
“Right, well, while in our wolf forms, we can hear each other’s thoughts if we’re in the same pack.”  
“Gotcha.”  
“Well, Naomi’s not in my pack. She and her girlfriend Leah are a part of Jake’s pack, so she doesn’t know directly.”   
“Uh huhhh....”  
“Buuut, her best friend, Collette, is a part of ours, so she does.”  
“I see, and what do Collette and Naomi know, exactly? Directly, or otherwise.” He asked.  
“.....thaaaaat I’ve been spending time with a guy I met at the bookstore….insinuations were thus made.”  
“So you’ve been thinking about me then.” Said as a statement, rather than a question.  
My heart raced, as I searched for the right words….or any words, for that matter.  
“.....Whaaaaat would you say if I admitted to that?” I finally managed.  
“.....that maybe...just maybe, I’ve been waiting for you to say it first.”  
I returned to being lost for words, when he said that. “.....So, what are you saying, exactly?”  
He chuckled, as if it should’ve been obvious. “....that there’s a reason I let you find me sitting in the same branch for the last couple of days.”  
“You told me that was your reading branch though…” I reminded him, naively.   
He laughed. “That’s just one of my favorite ones. I do have other branches, you know.”  
“Do you, now?”  
“Get into that later.” He chuckled. “So, what exactly have you been thinking about me?”  
“Things…..”  
“Hot.” He snickered. “Were you at least gonna consider buying me dinner first?”  
I rolled my eyes, as if thinking he could see me. “Get your mind out of the gutter, man. Besides, I doubt they serve human blood at most restaurants….the good ones, anyway.”  
“I actually try to stick to animal blood, but go on.” He laughed.  
“Whatever...I just meant in general….like, how you put up with my wolf stink to approach me with the wonders of your lord and savior, Stephen King, and how passionately you went on about him, and how you insisted on finding the perfect book for me, and….I don’t know it...was kinda cute.” Oh God, why did I say that?  
His tone seemed to perk up a little, when I said that. “You think I’m cute?”  
“For lack of a better word, anyway.” I added nervously. “.....That wasn’t the answer you were fishin for when you called me, was it.”  
“I like this one better.” He confessed. “To be honest, I’m pretty relieved. I have a history of sucking at this kind of thinking….no pun intended.”  
“So it’s a thing now.” I beamed.   
“....do you want it to be a thing?”  
I couldn’t bring myself to stop smiling. “...maybe.”  
“Prove it to me.” He challenged. “Let’s go out tomorrow, you and me. I’ll ask ya about The Stand, and we can uh….see what else happens.”  
“Just don’t stand me up then, and it’s a deal.”   
If I could see him, he was probably rolling those blood red eyes of his. “....That is one of the worst King puns I have ever heard.” He sighed. “But it’s a date.”  
“A date.” I repeated, still in disbelief.  
“Yes, a date.” He chuckled. “Get back to _The Stand_ , now. I don’t wanna keep you from realizing what a masterpiece it is anymore than I gotta.”  
Still grinning. “Fair enough. I’ll see you tomorrow, then.”  
“See ya then.” He reaffirmed. “Good night.”  
“Good night.”  
I worried I would hardly be able to concentrate, after such a conversation….on the other hand, I was also too excited to sleep, so what else was there to do?  
So, as promised, I opened up _The Stand,_ and began my journey.


	8. First Date

**Nico’s POV**

“So why won’t you tell me anything more about this mystery boy you’re seeing tonight?” Leon persisted, through my locked door. _And to think, I had been naive enough to think bringing my hair stuff to my own room to get ready for my date would be more private._  
I proceeded to spray another section of my hair….for probably the fifth time now. “I told you enough. His name’s Elijah, and we met at the bookstore, we’ve been hanging out.”   
“I hear that.” He snickered.  
I rolled my eyes. “Get your mind out of the damn gutter, man. Tonight’s our first date.”  
“Your point being?”   
I tried to stifle a laugh. “You’re terrible.”  
“I just tell it like it is, man.” He boasted.  
I didn’t even respond to that one, and instead went back to adding the finishing touches to my hair, and then slipping into my best hooded leather jacket.  
Leon sighed, audibly, from the other side of the door. “Fine, I’ll just get it out of Liz then. You forget the perks of having a telepathic around.”  
“Good luck!” I called after him, hearing his footsteps fade away. “I’ve sworn her to secrecy!”  
“We’ll see about that!” He called back.   
I shook my head, took one last long look in my full length mirror, and headed downstairs.

I swung over the balcony to leap downstairs, to the living room, readjusting my jacket when I landed.  
“Remind me what the point of having stairs is, again, if no one actually uses them.” Liz laughed, turning a page in the magazine she was reading.  
“Only if you tell me more about this mystery boy of Nico’s” Leon smirked.  
“....Like does he have a car?” Liz mocked to the tune of _Summer Nights_ , lowering her magazine. “Man, get over yourself. Nic doesn’t have to tell you shit.”  
“Thank you, Liz.” I chuckled. “How do I look, by the way?”  
“Like someone who’s keeping a big ass secret from us.” Leon answered.  
Imogen zipped into the room, wrapping her arms around Leon from behind. “Who’s hiding a big ass secret from us?”  
Liz rolled her eyes. “Your little boy toy is whining because Nico won’t elaborate on his date tonight.”  
“Hey!” Leon protested.  
“She’s not wrong about the boy toy part.” Imogen whispered, seductively, in his ear.  
He growled playfully back, causing Liz to sigh and take her magazine into the other room.  
“You look, hot, Nico. Whoever this date of yours is, he’s a lucky guy!” She called on her way out.  
“Thank you!” I called back. “....and on that note, I should get going.” I finally said.  
“Wait, here!” Leon urged, pulling his spare car key out of his pocket. “Take mine.”  
“No, I don’t wanna be a bother. Besides, Liz already offered hers.” I lied.   
“And what? You don’t mind bein a bother to her?” Leon snickered.  
“Again, she already offered.” I repeated.  
“Well, so am I!” He insisted. “Here, I won’t take no for an answer. Besides, don’t you wanna show off your precious little cassette collection?”  
I sighed and took the damn key, against my better judgement. _I guess I could come up with SOMETHING to explain the werewolf stink in his car later, I’ll have to explain why it’s on myself, anyway._ “If you’re sure.”  
A wide grin grew on his face, as he attempted to mess my hair up. “Atta boy. Now go on, I want details when you get back!”  
“Don’t count on it!” I called back, letting the door slam behind me.

I pulled up to the same spot I had dropped him off at yesterday.   
He was pulling a nice looking flannel on over his tee shirt, as he walked up to the car.  
He looked about as done as I had been with Leon, at the guy I could see behind him, calling out to him from a distance. “I hope you score tonight, man!”  
He shook his head and scoffed. “Yeah, thanks a lot!”  
I just chuckled, reaching over to open the door for him.  
“I am so sorry about him, if you heard that.” He sighed.  
“Don’t worry about it. You should’ve seen Leon today.”  
“Yeah, but you have the privacy of lack of wolf telepathy, at least. Be thankful for that.”  
“I guess.” I shrugged, looking over at him as he buckled himself in. “You look good, by the way.”  
His face couldn’t help but light up at that. “Thanks….as do you.” He appeared to give me a once over. “Is that a new jacket?”  
“Nahh, I’ve had it for a while.” I explained. “It’s my lucky jacket, I like to save it for special occasions.”  
“Special, huh?” That adorable smile of his, never leaving his face.”  
I nodded. “Verrrry special.”  
“Well, I’m honored.”  
“As you should.” I smiled back at him. “So, you hungry? Or, what do you feel like doing tonight?”  
“Whatever you want, and I already ate.”  
I chuckled. _Great, we haven’t even been on one date yet, and we’re already one of thooose couples._ “Alright, process of elimination. No restaurants.”  
“...Unless of course, you need someone to sink your teeth into, in which case, Iiiiii……..will try not to judge.”  
“Very funny.” I answered, sarcastically. “If you were reeaally trying to be a good stalker, you would’ve remembered me telling you I prefer to stick to animal blood.”  
“....I feel like I should be concerned with that remark.”   
“Ohh don’t flatter yourself.” I smirked. “Werewolf blood’s even nastier than your scent.”  
“Ouch?...”  
I rolled my eyes, as I started the car up. “You know what I mean…..now, seriously. What do you feel like doin? Your pick.”  
“Surprise me.” He insisted.  
“Soooo stubborn…” I sighed, shaking my head. “Alright, only if you agree to pick the tunes.”  
I gestured toward the medium sized box of cassette tapes I’d brought along, to which he happily obliged. “Deal.”  
He sifted through the box for a good five-ish minutes, before settling on one of my George Michael tapes.  
“Nice choice.” I praised. “You’re a fan then?”  
“Like I’m a fan of breathing.”  
“That is a good answer.” I agreed, pulling the car away.


	9. Surprised

**Elijah’s POV**

“Can I take the blindfold off now?” I laughed, starting to get antsy over whatever next surprise Nico had up his sleeve.  
“You could……..but then I’d have to kill you.” He teased in a bad Dracula-ish accent. “Besides, you’re the one who wanted to be surprised.  
“And, given that I didn’t even know Drive-ins were still a thing, you have delivered particularly well on that promise. Now, the movie’s ended, I’m blindfolded, and just a little antsy about what my vampire date has in store for us next.” I chuckled.  
He sighed. “I thought I made perfectly clear, I have zero interest in your blood….especially if it tastes anything like you smell.” He tried not to snicker. “Besides, you’re the stalker, you should be able to guess.”  
I shook my head. “Well, I know we’re back in the woods…..but why? What could you have to show me?”  
“You’ll see…..” He answered, somewhat suspiciously, taking me by the hand, and leading me forward.

We finally stopped in front of what, I presumed, he’d brought me back to show me.  
“Now?” I asked.  
“Almost…..” He reached back, pulling my hands up onto his shoulders, as he knelt down. “Here….hop on, and hold on tight.”  
“Nico-”  
“Just trust me.” He laughed. “Just hang on, and trust me.”  
“If you insist.” I shrugged, but obliged anyway. 

He flew upward, at a speed which I’d only ever been able to surpass on the ground, my arms still wrapped tightly around his neck as we rose toward the air.  
He finally stopped at, what I soon after discovered was, a branch...somehow sturdy enough to easily support the both of us.  
“Alright, now you can.” He said, proudly.  
“You sure?” I laughed. “Nothin else up that sleeve of yours?”  
“Nothin gets much better than this.” He answered.  
“We’ll see about….” I trailed off when I took the blindfold off. “......that…..”  
The view from how high up we were, which turned out to be much higher than I would’ve guessed just two minutes prior, was breathtaking. He’d talked about the view from his, in his words, reading branches, but it was...more. The actual sight of it was beyond words.  
“I told you I’d show you my best reading branches, all in good time.” He reminded me. “This one, if I had to pick, is my very favorite.  
I took another look around, trying to scrape together the right words….or at least something that came close to describing the feeling. “.....I can see why...It’s….I-I don’t even have the words for it.”  
He nodded. “It really is something, isn’t it?”  
“...to say the least, anyway….How do you ever concentrate on reading, with a view like this?”  
He turned his head to look at me. “Are you doubting the King, Mister man?”  
“In this instance, yes.” I laughed. “I guess I am doubting the King.”  
He sighed. “Anything I’ve yet to read by the King is captivating enough that it balances out….you’ll understand when you read more of his work.”  
“I see…”  
“How is _The Stand_ so far, by the way?” He asked. “....How are you liking it, I mean. _I_ know how it is.”  
“It’s good….I’m invested in it.”  
He raised his eyebrows. “Just good?”  
“....Great? Fantastic? I’ve only read a hundred or so pages of it.”  
He snickered. “I’m just messing with ya, it can take a while to get into.”  
“Well good.” I chuckled. “And how long did it take you to get into it?”  
“Oh, I was hooked from the first page.” He smirked. “I’m told I’m a bit of an anomaly though, so I’ll cut you some slack.”  
“Good to know.” I laughed, taking in even more of that gorgeous view.

It was late, by the time we’d hit the rest of his so-called reading branches, and decided to trek back the way we came to his car.  
He opened my door, before walking back around to his side and hopping in.  
“So, were you surprised?” He asked, as if it was even a question.  
I smiled, barely able to take my eyes off of him. “Very surprised.”  
He buckled in his seatbelt and turned to meet my gaze, before starting the car up.  
“You know….the view from up there is even more beautiful when the sun’s first rising…”  
“I’m sure it is….” Is this going where I hope it’s going?  
“If you’re ever up that early….maybe you’ll meet me out there? We could watch it together.”  
“Suppose I could do that……..so there’s another date then?”  
He shrugged. “If you want it to be, there is.”  
I nodded. “I would love that.”  
He grinned at that. “Tomorrow, then? If that’s not too soon…”   
“Tomorrow’s perfect.” I agreed.  
“Awesome…” He held his gaze, still smiling, for a moment, before he started the car up and started the drive back to the reservation.

He pulled right up to the space where he’d picked me up earlier.  
I shook my head, still in disbelief and at another loss for words on what to say about it. “Tonight was……...was something….I had a great time.” God, I hope that didn’t sound as dumb as it did to me.  
“Good….” He watched as I undid my seatbelt. “I wanted it to be perfect.”  
“Well, you succeeded.” I smiled, gazing back at him, and wishing I didn’t have to get out of the car just then.  
He stared back at me, the look in his eyes was almost as if he could’ve been reading mine, as I leaned in closer to him.  
I hoped it hadn’t happened as suddenly as it had seemed to me, almost talking myself out of going for it quite yet, til my lips were against his.   
He kissed me back…..and I closed my eyes, my heart near ready to leap out of my chest as he pulled me closer, before breaking away.  
“....Wow…” I whispered to myself, otherwise speechless.  
“.....I’ll say…” He leaned in to kiss me again, this time for longer, before I finally had to get out of the car.  
“......As if I needed another reason not to wanna get out of the car…..” I finally said, still at a loss for…..well, something that was better than those words.  
“Even more to look forward to tomorrow.” He said.  
“....I’ll say…..”  
“....Before sunrise, this time, remember.” He added.  
“Pretty hard to forget after that.” I pointed out, taking my time as I opened my door and stepped out. “I’ll see you tomorrow, then.”  
I took another look at him, and smiled again as I started my walk back, sure that he was still watching me as I went.


	10. Liz's Story

**Nico’s POV**

It was just after midnight when I walked in the door. _Maaan, it’s nights like this, I resent the inconvenience of not having anyone who sleeps in the house. Ohhh, how I envy how Elijah must be able to sneak in, unnoticed as he pleases._   
Clear that he’d been waiting for me, Leon, his arm around Imogen on the couch, paused his movie with his free hand as soon as I came in and shut the door behind me.   
“Heeeey, there’s the man of the hour!” He loudly announced. “How’d it go tonight? You get any?!”  
I shook my head in annoyance, but was cut off by Imogen.  
“.......And why do you reek of mutt again? I can smell you all the way over here!”   
“Not in the mood, Imogen.” I sighed.  
“Since when do you care about Gen rippin on those dirty mongrels?” Leon chuckled.   
I slipped out of my jacket. “You know I’ve never cared for it Lee, besides, they’ve never done anything to me.”  
He was glaring at me now. “You were with one tonight, weren’t you?”  
“Alright, Leon, look-”  
“And IN MY CAR???” He growled, zipping over to block me from going up the stairs.  
“Yeah, Leon, in the car that _you_ insisted I take!” I reminded him. “Liz was just as happy to loan me hers.”  
“Cause that’s what brothers do, Nic!! I wanted to help you impress your date tonight, not to go behind my back with a- !”  
I grabbed him and slammed him up against the wall. “DON’T YOU CALL HIM THAT AGAIN!!!”  
Liz bolted down, just in time to hold Imogen from rushing at me.  
“Stop it, STOP IT! Now what the hell is going on?!” She demanded.  
Leon, still in my grip, pointed an accusing finger at her. “YOU KNEW ABOUT THIS!” He snarled.  
“Of COURSE I DID!!” She retorted. “Gee, I wonder why I didn’t feel like saying anything!”  
“Yeah, but still-”  
“I owe _everything_ to those werewolves!” Liz stated sternly, yet slightly calmer. “...You _know_ that.”  
“So what, that gives him the right to be screwing around with one of them? Just because some of them saved you from suffering the same fate as your sister???”  
Liz just glared at him. “You know, Leon, sometimes I wish that YOU had suffered the same fate as my sister!”   
“Liz, wait, I-” She was already gone before he could finish his sentence.  
I glared at him when he looked back to me. “What did she mean by- ?”  
“Nevermind her….” Leon sighed, gesturing for Imogen to give us a minute.  
Imogen shoved me out of the way and flew up to the second story.

Leon redirected his attention back to me after she left, having calmed down just a little bit. “So this….wolf..guy-”  
“Elijah.” I corrected.  
“Right, Elijah……” He folded his arms across his chest, still looking irritated. “This the guy you reeked of the other day, when you said you just ran into one and got talking about Stephen King?”  
“Yeah...so?”  
He sighed. “.....and you reeaally like him?”  
“I reeaally do….”  
He shook his head, and appeared to consider this. “He’s not getting his filthy…..he’s not setting foot in my car again.”  
“Deal….” I sighed.  
“Seriously, as it is, I’m gonna have to burn the damn seats. And don’t even get me started on how I’m gonna get that stink out of there.”  
I didn’t even dignify that remark with a response.  
“Are you gonna burn the house down too?” I chuckled, humorlessly.  
“HAS HE BEEN IN HERE TOO???” He demanded, raising his voice again.  
“Of course not, but what do you think is gonna happen? I’m not gonna have my date here because you have some childish vendetta with what he is?”  
“It’s not that simp-” He stopped himself, putting his head in his hands as he groaned. “Ughh, nevermind….do what you want with him, then, but KEEP him out of MY car! Are we clear on that?”  
I sighed, moving past him to get up the stairs. “Yes, sir.”

When I got upstairs, Liz’s room at the end of the hall was left open, so I decided to wander over and check in on her.

I knocked gently on the open door, before I came in.   
“Can I come in?”   
She was sitting on the rail of the balcony, outside of her window, and turned around at my voice. “Sure.”  
I made my way over to where she was and sat myself up on the rail, near her.   
“I don’t care about what Leon said.” She reassured me, before I had a chance to say it.  
“Wanna answer my other question then?” I asked.  
“What’s the deal with my sister?” And then before I could correct her, “I know you didn’t quite mean it like that.”  
“Right……..that being said, I- ”  
“Didn’t even know I had a sister…” She finished for me.  
“Would you stay _out_ of my head for two seconds?” I chuckled.  
“Sorry, force of habit.” She laughed. “Go on, then.”  
“What happened to her?”  
She sighed. “It was about ten years ago, you were probably just a kid when it was happening, but a lot of people were going missing, up in Seattle…”  
I nodded. “I was, but I heard about it later on.”  
“This woman, Victoria, and her right hand man…..or so he thought he was, Riley, were trying to create an army….of vampires. She was trying to avenge the death of her true mate, some guy named James…..anyway, my younger sister, Bree, and I were part of this plan of hers.  
“....Jesus…”  
She went on with the rest of her story. “....the coven they were after teamed up with the werewolves, to fight back, and…...well, if they hadn’t, more lives would’ve been lost, and I wouldn’t have been able to slip out of there before The Volturi stepped in…Leon’s told you about them?”  
I nodded.   
“Well, one of the wolves got me out of there and went back to try and save my sister, whose life some friends of ours tried to convince them to spare…….it was too late though.”  
“....that’s awful…” I finally said. “I-I’m so sorry.”  
“...Thanks.” She returned her attention to looking out, over the view, before looking back at me. “Anyway...the wolves, as I’ve known them, are good.”   
“Someone should tell Leon that.”   
She sighed. “He knows…….he just likes to pretend that he doesn’t.”   
“....Right.”  
“I’d like to say he’ll come around, but some old dogs really can’t learn new tricks.” She chuckled. “...but he will learn he just has to live with it.”  
“If you say so.” I shrugged.


	11. Us

**Elijah’s POV**

I waited for him, out in front of his reading tree and before sunrise, as promised  
I sipped the last drop of coffee I’d brought along with me and shuffled my phone out of my pocket to text him, find out where he was, when he snuck up behind me.  
“Ooof, _Starbucks._ Takin me back, man!” He chuckled, breaking the otherwise silence of the woods around us.  
I turned around to face him, as he was poking his head around the tree trunk.  
“I thought human food...slash beverages...didn’t appeal to you guys anymore!”   
He laughed at that, wrinkling his nose as if just noticing the smell. “It doesn’t, but the nostalgia of the days when I used to literally _thrive_ on caffeine still burns in my memory, whenever I smell it. Doesn’t mean it’s a good smell anymore.”  
I chuckled as he spoke like this was some way far away life he would be expected to barely remember, as opposed to only being a few months ago. “Makes sense, considering that was only….how many months ago, again?”  
“About six, since I was turned” He chuckled. “It feels like a lot longer though.”  
I nodded. “I hear ya, quarantine really messes with your sense of time.”  
He shrugged. “I wouldn’t really know all that well. Vampire transmitted Covid cases are slightly lower, so staying in the house wasn’t exactly a concern as long as I wasn’t around enough people to raise suspicion.”  
“Right.” I laughed a little more nervously. “That must’ve sounded dumb.”  
“I’ve heard dumber.” He shrugged, gesturing for me to grab onto him. “Shall we?”  
I smiled, wrapping my arms around him like before. “Lead the way!”

He shot up, practically flying up the tree, once more, and then glided through the air, deeper into the woods, until we reached the branch that he considered to be his favorite.  
He stood, leaning his arm up against the tree, and turned his head to face me. “You good?”  
I nodded, my heart racing in my chest, as I held him a little tighter. “Never better.”

Words did not exist, which could’ve described how damn right he was about the view of the sunrise from this height.  
The whole experience, made even more breathtaking, just having the privelage of witnessing it in his presence, was just completely unreal beyond anything I could’ve ever imagined.  
 _God, how did I ever get so lucky?_  
“What’d I tell ya? Was I right, or was I right?  
I almost didn’t hear him, I was so lost in it all.  
“I’ll take that as a yes then.”   
I attempted to scrape together the words to answer him. “Hmm, what? Ohh, yeahh perfect.” I sighed. “Reeeaally somethin.”  
He grinned, “I knew you’d love it.”  
“Love it…” I shook my head. “I don’t think that’s even the word, not even close.”  
“I’m glad…”

Once the sun had officially risen, I mustered up the courage to say something about what had been running and replaying through my head all night, that reason which made it nearly impossible to wait for this time together with him again.  
“.....You know what I’ve been thinking about?” I finally said, breaking the silence, as I carefully released my grip, yet still holding onto him, as I set my foot onto the branch..  
“Careful….and telepathy’s not the gift I was blessed with, so no.” He snickered. “Tell me, what were you thinking about?”  
My heart was thumping against my chest, at this point. “I think you know.”  
He looked at me, the smile growing on his face as he seemed to consider for a few moments.   
“......Might it have been this?” He pulled me closer, gently pressing his lips to mine, as he kissed me the way he had in the car yesterday, when I had been the one to...somehow...initiate it.  
I held him tighter, ensuring not to lose my balance, kissing him back and not stopping til he was the one to pull away.  
“S-something like that…” I stuttered nervously. My heart, just about ready to leap right out of my chest.  
He grinned. “I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it either.”  
“.....So, where does that put us then?” I asked, hopefully.  
His hand was placed gently, underneath my chin. “Wherever you want it to.”  
“Geez, put me right on the spot there.” I chuckled nervously. My foot slipped, throwing me almost completely off balance, as he grabbed me up and I gripped him back even tighter.  
“Right, while you figure that out, maybe you should leave the climbing to me and hop back on.” He smirked.  
“P-probably a good idea.” I slipped my arms back around his neck...a little tighter than I had intended. “Guess it’s a good thing vampires can’t strangle to death, huh?”  
“Right. I thank God every day for that.” He teased.  
I rolled my eyes. “Maybe I should reconsider my answer, then.”  
He shook his head. “You’re such a baby, sometimes, you know that?”  
“So what does that make you then? A part time pedophile?” I snickered.  
“Very funny.”  
I shrugged. “I try.”

Once we were back down on the ground, I picked up on a little detail I probably should’ve picked up on before, given he’d gotten out here first the past couple days.   
“.....You don’t have any books on you.”  
He turned to look at me, once I’d stepped off. “What’s that?”  
“No books.” Reiterated. “You typically get out her before I do, yet you don’t have any books on you today.” I fake gasped. “Whatever would The King think of his so-called _constant reader?”_  
“....Slacking on your stalker ways.” He chuckled. “Should’ve noticed that earlier.”  
“Well, maybe I did, and I just didn’t wanna spoil the mood. Ever think of that?” I smirked.  
“.....Right….”  
“Hey, you can’t prove me wrong!” I pointed out.  
“....I suppose not.” He sighed. “So what do you wanna do now?”  
“Surprise me….you seem to be pretty good at that.”  
He smiled at that. “I guess I do.” He seemed to consider for a moment. “......Follow me then.”


	12. The Window

**Nico’s POV**

I sat right outside Elijah’s, second story, bedroom window, looking in on him. _Hey, if he was even halfway decent at the stalker thing, he’d know I was out here._  
It was early evening, and he was laid out on his bed with _The Stand_ open to about a quarter of the way into it. I remained in place, quietly watching him to the next page, before I decided to lightly knock my hand against the glass.  
He near about jumped out of his skin, tossing the book over the side of the bed, and quickly turning to face the source of the sound.  
I couldn’t help but break out in near hysterical laughter as he power walked over, upon noticing it was me, and opened the window. As if I wouldn’t be able to hear him through the glass.  
“Have you LOST your mind?!” He demanded. “You nearly gave me a heart attack!”  
I snickered, kissing him on the cheek when I entered the room. “Hey, if you were any kind of a stalker, you would’ve known I was out there!” I picked up _The Stand_ and plopped myself down on his bed. “And careful with this, this here’s my baby.”  
“I thought that was one of your so-called _loaner_ copies.” He pointed out.  
“Your point being………?”  
“Fiiiiine, I’m sorry.” He sighed  
“Alright, that’s better.” I snickered, turning it back to where I’d seen him leave off. “Aaand you’re welcome.”  
“For breaking into my house?”   
“For putting your bookmark back where you left off.” I answered. “And it’s not breaking in when you opened the window for me.”  
“Okay, we’ll put a pin in the window thing….how did you know what page I was on?”  
“Enhanced eyesight isn’t exactly exclusive to your kind.” I smirked. “I saw it from outside the window.”  
“Right.” He sighed. “Which, by the way, I opened to find out why the hell you were out there!”  
I shook my head. “Well then, that is your fault. You could’ve asked me that through the glass.”  
“Mmmmhmm….” He nodded. “ I think I prefer the movie vampires that have to be invited in, in order to enter someone’s home.”  
“Awww come on now, don’t pretend you’re not happy to see me!’ I snickered, setting the book down on the nightstand by his bed and turning to lay on my stomach, head in my hands, while I looked up at him.”  
“......Alright, maybe a little.” He admitted, a little half smile sneaking across his face.  
“Only a liiiittle?” I fake whined.  
He pinched his finger to his thumb. “Little smidge.”  
“Liar.” I snickered, holding my stare at him.  
He sighed, letting himself fall back onto the bed as soon as he sat down. “....Maybe slightly more than that….”  
“Maybe?” I prodded him. “Coooome onnnn!”  
“Maybe.” He repeated, trying not to laugh.  
I sat up and swung a leg onto the other side of him, so that I was straddling him.  
He shook his head, slowly losing the battle not to laugh.  
I pinned him by the shoulders, smirking. “How bout now?”  
“You don’t give up, do you?” He chuckled.  
“That didn’t answer my question.”  
He managed to squirm out of my grip, taking control as he wrestled me onto my own back, reversing the positions. “How bout now?” He mimicked.  
I grinned back at him. “Such a smartass.”  
“You looooove it.”  
“Maybe.” I mimicked.  
“Oh, you little devil!” He snickered. “Come here!”  
Before he could do anything else though, we were interrupted by a knock at his bedroom door.  
I leapt off the bed and shot underneath it, at the sound of his brother’s voice.  
The door opened and I could see his brother standing in the doorway.  
“Who were you talking to?”   
“Nobody.” Elijah lied. “Something fell down the side of the bed, I was trying to catch it.”  
“Sure you weren’t talking to your boyfriend?” Sam prodded, hopefully.  
If I could see him from under here, he was probably rolling his eyes.   
“Very funny.” He sighed.  
“Alright, well dinner’s ready, if you want it.”  
“Thanks.” Elijah answered. “I’ll be right down.  
“Alright.” He shut the door behind him, leaving us to ourselves again.  
“Close call!” I snickered, climbing back up onto the bed once the coast was clear.  
“Close call?! You know he can smell you, right?!”  
“Calm down! Just convince him you were around me earlier, it’s all good.”  
He sighed. “Nico, I’m not even going to get into how much sense that doesn’t make.”  
“Sure you can, I’ve got time!”  
“I said _I’m not_ , Nico, not _can’t._ ” He walked across the room, opening the window back up when he reached it. “I will text you later, okay?”  
“You mean you’ll stalk me later.” I smirked.  
He pointed out the window, trying not to snicker. “Out.”  
I shook my head. “So bossy…..alright, I’m goin.”  
He leaned closer to me to kiss me before shutting the window again.  
I leapt down, still grinning, and started the walk back to Liz’s car to drive home.

Liz was laid across the couch, watching _The Mist_ , and Imogen across the room, working at her laptop, when I walked in the door.  
“Playing with dogs again?” Imogen remarked, snidely.  
“You’re disgusting.” I muttered, not even dignifying that with a proper answer.  
“Right back at you!”  
I growled, tossing Liz her car key.. “Thanks for loanin me your car again, Liz.”  
She smiled, scooting over and patting a spot next to her. “Anytime…….you wanna join me? I’m watching _The Mist._ ”  
“I know what you’re watching.” I smirked, making my way over to join her. “Think Stephen King’s number one fan has to be a mind reader to recognize one of the better adaptations of one of his works?”  
“This thing is cheesy as shit, you actually think it’s one of the better ones?”  
“It’s better than _The Shining_.” I shrugged.  
She sighed. “Alright, I’ll shut up about The Mist, if you can pretend I didn’t just open up the Kubrick vs miniseries can of worms again.”   
“Well then it’s not a can of worms.” I teased.  
“I just can’t win with you, can I?” She groaned.  
“I think we’ve reached an understanding.” I snickered, kicking back with my feet up on the coffee table.


	13. Here Goes Nothing

**Elijah’s POV**

I stood in front of Nico’s favorite tree, looking up, about to call up to him when I was interrupted by his arms grabbing my neck from behind, somehow catching me off guard.  
“Rawr!!”  
I couldn’t help but laugh at the amusement he took out of the SECOND near heart attack he’d managed to give me within the past twenty four hours. “Ohh what? The heart attack you gave me last night wasn’t enough, so you thought you’d make another attempt to kill me?”  
“You said that was a near heart attack last night…...and maybe.” He snickered.  
“Come on, man! I apologized for dropping your book, what more do you want from me!”  
“Get over here, and I’ll show ya” He growled playfully, pulling me closer to him while I obliged and began kissing him back.  
“You’re not wearing a shirt today.” He pointed out, grinning, when he pulled away.  
I smiled back at him. “Well I went out for a run earlier, easier when pants are all I have to worry about when I’m phasing into and out of wolf form.”  
His eyebrows raised at this. “Say, speaking of….I’ve never seen you in your wolf form…”  
I took one of his hands into mine. “Suppose I haven’t….”  
“Well, we should fix that.”  
“Why? Cause you know I’d have to strip even further to avoid tearing these pants?” I snickered.  
“Iiiii mean, if you want to, who am I to stop you?” He smirked.  
I shook my head. “You’re terrible…….maybe a little bit later…”  
“Promise?”  
I raised a finger, smirking back at him. “I said _maybe._ ”  
“I’ll take it.”  
“Good.”  
“.....For now, anyway…” He added.  
“Ohhh, for now?” I laughed.  
“Yeah, for now.” He repeated.  
“Alright, well, we’ll see.”  
He nodded.  
“Iiiiin the meantime, what do you wanna do?” I asked.  
He seemed to consider for a minute. “Welllll…….”  
“Wellll….?”  
“....I did have one idea…” He finally answered.  
“That being?”  
“Your turn to come over to my house.” He suggested.  
“Won’t your brother like...flip?” I chuckled.  
“...Perhaps.” He shrugged. “It’s a bullet we’re gonna have to bite sooner or later though, right?”  
“......I suppose so.”  
He grinned at this, gesturing for me to climb on his back. “Hop on, then. I’ll give ya a lift.”  
I, somewhat nervously, obliged, holding tightly around his neck like before.  
He turned his head to look at me, with those blood red eyes of his, and smiled. “All aboard?”  
And he took off. Soaring through the trees, with the wind in my hair. _God, what a rush._

We arrived to the front yard of a large, classy yet simple, two story home, where he let me off.  
I released my grip from around his neck, and he took my hand back into his.  
He walked me up the stone paved pathway to his front door, stopping us once we reached the porch.  
“Alright, here’s the deal…” He forewarned. “Leon and his girlfriend, Imogen, already hate you, you should probably know that going in….  
“Solid start.” I teased.  
“Nothing personal…”He chuckled. “Nothing personal, they’re just not fond of-”  
“My type.” I finished for him. “It’s alright, I’m used to it.”  
“I mean, it’s not alright, but I appreciate your attitude.”  
I nodded. “Right.”  
“My sister, Liz, on the other hand….she’s an angel….I mean, I don’t _wanna_ give anyone a pat on the back for showing some common fucking decency, but just tp give you a heads up. She’s nice.”  
I gave him a thumbs up. “Gotcha.”  
“Alright then…” He sighed, moving to open the door. “....Here goes nothin.”

A young brunette woman, who sat in a chair on her laptop on the other side of the room, looked up from what she was doing and greeted us.  
A curiously friendly smile crept on her face as she spoke. “Elijah! It’s about time you showed your face around here. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say my brother was keeping you all to himself.” She shot a little smirk to Nico.  
“Ohhhh my God…” I heard Nico mutter under his breath. “Elijah, this is Liz, my telepathically snoopy sister...for all intents and purposes. Liz, well...I don’t really have to say anything do I?”  
“The perks of being a telepathic.” She shrugged.  
Nico shook his head. “Sure, let’s call that a perk.’  
“Nice to meet you, officially, Elijah.” She snickered. “If Nico ever decides to bring you around again, I’m sure we’ll get along great!”  
“Looking forward to it.” I chuckled. “Good to meet you.”  
She smiled and went back to whatever she was looking at.  
Nico moved in front of me while the man I presumed was his brother leapt over the railing, looking predictably displeased.  
“I thought I smelled a dog in this house.” .  
“I told you I was bringing him by.” Nico defended.  
“Just keep him in your room til you put him back out.” He growled, shooting me another glare as he stormed out.  
“Come on, man, where you going?” Nico called after him.  
“Hunting.”  
“We just went last we-”  
But Nico didn’t even get to finish his sentence before Leon let the door slam shut behind him.  
“Leon, if you so much as think for one _second_ you’re leaving me here with that mutt stink…” The blonde woman who I presumed to be Imogen growled, leaping off the second story balcony and landing right between me and Nico. She took one look at me and huffed angrily as she stormed out the door, to chase down Leon.  
“...And that was Leon’s girlfriend, Imogen.” Nico sighed.  
“I figured.” I chuckled. “Don’t worry about it.”  
He shook his head. “Regardless, I am so sorry about them.”  
I placed my hands up, lovingly, on his shoulders. “As I said, it’s fine.”  
He seemed to cheer up a little in my grasp.  
“Besides…” I added. “Look at it this way…”  
He looked at me, curiously.  
“We have the house, almost to ourselves.”  
“You know, I can leave, and you guys can have the house _totally_ to yourselves, if you want.” Liz interrupted, standing up from her chair.  
“Liz, that’s not necessary.” Nico sighed. “We were just gonna go up to my room.”  
But Liz was already slipping into her coat. “Oh, I was gonna meet up with Collette and a couple other friends for a movie anyway. I’ll just see if they can hang a little earlier.”  
“Collette Littlesea?” I asked, right as she was about to head out.  
“Yeah.” She smirked a little. “Like I said, I think we’ll get along great.”  
“Right.” I chuckled. “Well, tell her I said hey.”  
“Will do.” She agreed, shutting the door behind her.  
“How do you know Collette?” Nico asked, once she had left.  
“She’s in my pack. You didn’t know she was a wolf, with the way Leon and Imogen are?”  
He shook his head. “I’m not a mind reader, and she’s never mentioned it…..and Leon gives her somewhat of a pass, given what she’s been through.”  
“I see, so, if almost dying of Coronavirus isn’t deserving of a pass to associate with us then what is?”  
He chuckled a little at that, taking my hand again. “Walk with me, and I’ll explain.”  
I nodded. “Lead the way, then.”


	14. The Collection

**Nico’s POV**

I told him the gist of what Liz had told me of her story the other night, as I led him up the stairs to my room. _I never realized how weird actually WALKING up the stairs felt after using them as a base, at best, to leap off of and onto until now._  
“Geez, I had no idea…” He said when we reached the top of the stairs.  
“Yeah, I can’t even imagine.” I sighed, leading him down the hall to my room. 

“I thought you guys didn’t sleep…” He questioned, noticing the bed next to my window.  
“Who says it’s for sleeping?” I smirked, putting my arm around him.  
“You’re terrible!” He laughed, playfully shoving me.  
“Aww, you love it!”  
His eyes widened when he caught sight of my bookshelf. “..Not as much as you love Stephen King. My God, you weren’t kidding.”  
“Well, stalking tip of the day, know that my number one rule is that one does not kid about their love for The King!” I smirked, showing him to the bookshelf.  
“Jesus, do you have two of every book on this shelf?” He marveled, picking up a copy of _The Shining_. He looked it over, turning it about in his hands. “That’s a cool cover, I don’t think I’ve seen it before.”  
It was an older edition, the cover was mint green along the side and featured a paler green background on the front of it, on top of which was Wendy, Jack, and Danny Torrance in front of the infamous _Overlook Hotel,_ beside a hedge animal.  
“Yeah, it’s my favorite….edition, anyway. I couldn’t choose a favorite book if you put a gun to my head.”  
“Well, in your defense, you are bulletproof.” He chuckled.  
I shook my head. “You know what I meant, man.”  
“More fun this way.” He smirked.  
I rolled my eyes. “Okay, fine. I _won’t_ show you the rest of my collection.”  
“No no, I’m teasing. I’m teasing, come one…” He pleaded. “Please show me.”  
“I think I prefer watching you beg.” I teased.  
“Niiicooo.”  
“Alright, alright. Settle down.” I sighed. “I’ll show you.”  
“Now this here…” I said, picking up a hardcover copy of _Misery_. “Is my absolute baby of this collection. First edition, signed by The King himself!”  
“Sounds expensive.”  
“I’m sure. I was lucky enough to scrounge it up at a thrift store, before everything shutdown.” I shook my head. “Poor sap, must’ve dropped it in with whatever they meant to sell by accident.”  
“Or they just didn’t realize a good thing when they had it.” He shrugged.  
I chuckled at that. “God, I hope it’s that one. At least then, they’d deserve to lose it.”  
“Ouch…” He hissed. “You _do_ bite, don’t ya?”  
“Ohh my God…” I sighed. “Well, now you’re definitely not seeing my _Salem’s Lot_ copies.”  
“I'm not” He, obviously fake, whined.   
I shook my head. “Nah, you're not. Not if you can’t behave.”  
“Ohh, I’ll behave. I’ll behave.” He insisted, wrapping his arms around my neck. “I’ll behave.”  
“You promise?” I chuckled.  
“.....Maybe.”  
“Maaybe?”  
“Yeah, maybe.” He repeated.  
I looked back at him and he sighed.  
“Okay, fine, fine. Definitely.”  
“Atta boy.” I snickered.  
“Was that a dog joke?”  
“...Maybe.” I mocked.  
He shook his head. “Ughh, you’re the worst.”  
“Ahh, you love it.”  
“Mmmm….little bit.” I admitted.  
“Awww, just a little bit?” He whined, just slightly more convincing than earlier.  
I pinched my finger to my thumb. “Little bit.”  
“Alright….take what I can get.” He muttered.  
“Yeah you will.” I smirked, thumbing through some more books in my collection. “I’ll save _Salem’s Lot_ for last, though.”  
He just whined at that and I couldn’t help but laugh.  
“Leeet’s see.” I murmered to myself.  
“ _The Dark Tower_ ….” He read aloud, kneeling to look at the lower shelves. “These any good?”  
I dropped what I was searching for and folded my arms across my chest. “Elijah Uley, did you just ask a Stephen King fan if _The Dark Tower series_ is.” I put up air quotes. “Any good?  
“....Regrettably.” He sighed.  
I raised an eyebrow before patting him on the shoulder. “I’m just messin with you, man. And to answer your question, yes. They are very good. They’re not my favorite, which you should probably avoid saying to any other King fan, but they’re pretty great.”  
“I see.” He chuckled, picking up _The Gunslinger_ to look over. “And why shouldn’t you tell anyone it’s not my favorite?”  
“Ummm, cause it only ties the entire Stephen King universe together.” I boasted. “Which, in my opinion, is pretty brilliant, and I love them for it, but the actual reading of it is something you don’t get into if you’re not ready to seriously get lost in a series.”  
“I see...well, what if I told you I might just be up for such a journey?” He raised.  
“Iiiii would say finish _The Stand_ first, and I just might ask you to prove it.”  
“Fair enough.” He chuckled. “Fair enough.”  
I nodded.  
“Shouldn’t be long then.” He added.  
“What’s that now?”  
“I reached a liiittle bit past halfway, just last night.” He explained.  
“Impressive.” I praised. “You’re really likin it then?”  
“I really am.” He confirmed. I might just finish it in another week or so.”  
“Now that is something I’d like to see you prove to me!”  
“Well, maybe I will then.” He answered.   
“Just maybe?”  
“Yeah.” He smirked. “Just maybe.”  
“I guess I’ll accept that…..for now, anyway.”  
“Oh, for now?” He repeated.  
“Yeah…” I smirked. “For now.”  
He sighed. “If you say so.”  
“I do.” I insisted, going back to the bookshelf to show him some more.  
“Now, let me show you where I keep the loaner _Dark Tower_ copies.”  
“Wait, these aren’t the loaners?” He asked  
“Nooope. Those are just first editions, next to….well, the ones that aren’t first editions. I keep the _Dark Tower_ loaners right over here.” I led him over to my closet. “Right up on these shelves here, next to the _Mr. Mercedes_ trilogy loaners.”  
“Keep those in the closet, do ya?” He smirked.  
“Very funny.” I tried to stifle a chuckle. “I just don’t have quite as much room as I’d like to have of every loaner copy, first edition copy, edition with every introduction by the author edition, and any other edition in between. Boy, I wish.”  
“I think you’re lucky just to have the editions at all. That’s quite the collection.”  
“What’d I tell you about behaving, man?” I sighed.  
“So sensitive, I was only half serious, you know.”  
“God, I’m just messing with you. Talk about sensitive.”  
He went back to looking at the shelf. “Good.”  
“....Okay, half messing with you…” I admitted.  
He sighed. “Can’t you cut me any slack, man?”  
“Never!” I smirked, proudly.  
“Course not.” He chuckled.


	15. A Private Joke

**Elijah’s POV**

I laid back on Nico’s bed, my body resting against his with his arm around me, as we watched the original 1976 adaptation of _Carrie_ on his little flatscreen TV.  
My eyes kept wandering between the film and what appeared to be a strange collection on the wall, just a couple feet down from his bookshelf, and on the other side of the TV.  
“....Okay, I gotta ask…” I finally said.  
“No, the remake isn’t any good.” He interrupted. “I love Chloe Grace Moretz, but she is no Carrie White.”  
“Agreed.” I chuckled. ‘But nahh, I was referring to your little….collection over there.”  
“...I’m just very passionate about face masks, what can I say?” He laughed, pausing the movie. “Nah, I kid, I kid. It’s ahh...somewhat of a private joke.”  
I stared briefly at the TV. The screen was frozen on the scene where Carrie’s standing in the shower, right before she starts bleeding, and then redirected my attention back to Nico.  
“Are we just not gonna talk about where you decided to pause that?” I teased.  
“You know what, I don’t even wanna know if you’re referring to the naked girl in the shower or the blood.” He laughed. “Now the masks…”  
“The answer is yes to both.” I snickered.  
“...Oh my God…” I heard him mutter under his breath.   
“Fine...tell me about the masks for now.”  
“Thank you.” He sighed. “Anyway, it’s somewhat of a private joke. You see, in the beginning of the whole Covid madness, I collected a whole bunch of them, thinking that when quarantine eventually ended, I would need them to go out. Especially since I was particularly eager to show off my newly flat chest, you know at the beach and whatnot…”  
“Hot.”  
“....Thank you.” He chuckled, somewhat nervously. “Anyway, as it turned out, I found out I had come down with Covid, some weeks after my surgery, went into the hospital” He gestured to the wall. “...said masks became pretty useless when turning me was my only chance of surviving, so thus, there they sit.”  
“Interesting….How’d you get so many of them though, in that amount of time? Ones I got took like two months to arrive.”  
“That’s just if you’re shopping Amazon or Ebay.” He explained. “Couple other online stores shipped in like a week.  
“Ahh.”  
“....Plus, I knew a couple people who made some for me…...and the collection’s still growing.”  
“STILL?”  
“It’s a thing now.” He shrugged.”There’s so many cool ones.”  
I shook my head.  
“Hey, I’m not hurting anyone, I’m not hoarding any damn toilet paper or hand sanitizer, this is what I like to do.” He laughed.  
“This is a new level of post quarantine coping, but alright.”  
“....Which I stand by. Now, can we get back to the movie?”  
“We can, but you’re gonna have to tell me about this thing with you and Sissy Spacek here” I teased, gesturing to the screen.  
“Yes, Elijah. You caught me, alright? I’ve been cheating on you with a movie actress who doesn’t even know I exist, can we move on now?”  
“Thank you, now was that so hard?” I snickered while he hit the play button on the remote.  
“You have no idea.” He sighed. 

After the movie, and before the next one, he insisted on showing me to his kitchen which he had stocked...against my pleas to not go out of his way just for me.  
“Nico, I told you not to do this.” I groaned.  
“You told me not to go to any trouble.” He corrected, putting his arm around me as we walked. “Which I didn’t. I’m happy to do it.”  
I shook my head. “You know what I meant.”  
“Can’t you just let me pretend I don’t, and make my boyfriend happy?” He sighed.  
“If it’ll make _my_ boyfriend happy, I suppose I can manage.” I shrugged  
“That’ll make your boyfriend _very_ happy”

Liz and Collette were walking in the door, just as Nico was showing me to the pantry.  
“Leon and Gen are still out, to my knowledge. It’s just us!” Liz called out, shutting the door behind the two of them. “No need to worry about World War three…..yet!”  
“Very funny!” Nico chuckled. “How was the movie?”  
“Pretty good. I don’t wanna spoil anything though!”   
“Elijah still here?” She asked, hopeful.  
“Yeah, I’m here. And you should probably tell your brother to quit spoiling me!”   
“I’d like to see her try!” He called out, smirking  
I shook my head. “Collette still with you?”  
“Hey!” Collette called out in response. “So, I finally get to meet this new guy of yours, then.”  
“Yeah, he’s in here.” I sighed.  
“Hi, Collette!” He called out as she made her way over.  
“Hey, Nico, right?”   
He smirked. “I think you already knew that, but good to meet ya! I think I might’ve seen you around like once or twice.”  
Collette reached for Nico’s outstretched hand to shake it. “You too. Nice to put a solid face to Elijah’s little inner monologues.”  
I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, it’s great.”  
She chuckled a little at that, before her eyes caught the open food pantry. “Nice stash, for a bloodsucker. Those doritos I see?”  
I gestured to Liz “Yes, cause _that_ one apparently didn’t stop him. You wanna help yourself? There’s plenty here.”  
“Couple handfuls for the road wouldn’t hurt.”  
I tossed her one of the mini bags of them. “Here, take a bag.”  
“Thanks, you sure you don’t mind?”   
I sighed. “I think Nico here raided a whole store’s worth, I’ll survive.”  
‘Nico pulled me closer to him, his arm back around my shoulders. “Only cause you deserve the best, babe.”  
“Well, I’ll get out of your hair.” Collette decided. “Nice to meet you, officially, Nico.”  
“My pleasure.”  
Liz went to walk her to the door, turning around briefly to smile at us while Nico rolled his eyes.  
“Alright, so take what you want, and we can go back up and start _Firestarter_.”  
“If you insist.” I sighed, taking a small armful of Pringles and a couple Doritos bags. “ I do have a weakness for chips.”  
“Doesn’t _everyone_ who eats human food?” He smirked.  
“Fair enough.” I chuckled, following him to the stairs.


	16. How It Is

**Nico’s POV**

“You put the dog out yet?” Leon called from downstairs when he came in.  
“My _boyfriend_ ” I corrected. “...has a name. And I drove him home about a half hour ago.”  
“Better not have been my car.” I heard the downstairs TV turn on.  
“Took him in Liz’s car. Wanna inspect it, see I’m not lying?”  
“Take your word for it for now….I’ll find out eventually.”  
“You’re horrible.” I scoffed, cranking up the volume on my own TV.  
“I just tell it how it is, kid.” He attempted to change the subject. “Stephen King movie on, if you’re not watching something already.”  
“Which one?” I sighed, scrolling through my TV guide.  
“Uhhh..” He hesitated a moment, likely having to recheck his guide. “ _The Dark Tower_.”  
“That’s not a movie, that’s a hot mess.” I groaned. “Why would you even think about asking me to watch that?”  
“I’ll bite..” He sighed, mentally preparing himself for whatever can of worms he opened this time.”What’s wrong with _The Dark Tower_ , again? I thought you liked those books.”  
“The books, I did.” I explained. “That hot mess they call a movie I did not. A series, maybe. But not...whatever that was.”  
“Ouch...kinda harsh, isn’t it? I mean, this seems like a decent movie.”  
“Harsh, huh? Kinda like you are with Elijah?’ I pointed out.  
“That is a totally different situation, and you know it.” He sighed.  
“No, Leon. It’s really not. And if you keep acting like it is, you can watch _The Shawshank Redemption_ by yourself if it comes on, for all I care.” I finally settled on a channel that was on the last hour or so of _Pet Sematary_.  
“Suit yourself then…….I think _Pet Sematary_ is on somewhere else, if you’re up for that.” He suggested.  
“Yeah, I’ve got it on up here. I meant what I said.”  
No answer from Leon, so I just cranked up the volume on my TV.

About another half hour passed before he was yelling back up the stairs again.  
“Maaan, you were right! This movie sucks, what channel did you say _Pet Sematary_ is on?”  
“Didn’t say.” I sighed. “ And it’s almost over.”  
“So I’ll catch the ending of it then, what channel?”  
He waited for me to answer before yelling up again.  
“Come on, man!   
“Maybe I’ll just go watch it at Elijah’s house!” I shouted back, shutting off the TV.  
“Won’t it be over by the time you get there?”   
I packed my _Pet Sematary_ disc and a couple others in the backpack I normally took out to read, and headed down the hall and over the balcony.   
“Yeah, that’s what DVDs are for.”   
“For what?” He scoffed. “Running off with your mutt cause I tell it how it is?”   
“I’m not even gonna dignify that with a proper response.”   
I took off out the front door, letting it slam shut behind me.

I leapt up onto that spot right outside Elijah’s second story bedroom window, hopping in when I noticed it was open.  
“Still a damn riot, man!” I heard him call out, likely to Sam, as his footsteps grew closer.   
He opened the door and nearly jumped out of his skin when he saw me, laying across his bed and pretending to scroll through the channels on his TV guide.  
“GAH!!! What th- How did you..”  
“Window was open.” I smirked. “Never do that, by the way.”  
“Noted.” He chuckled. “I’ll be sure to shut it every time I get up to take a piss.”  
“You know, if you’re going that often, you should probably see someone about that.” I continued to scroll the guide down a few channels. “Watchin anything?”  
“Not yet.” He laughed, playfully shoving me out of the way when he sat down. “As I said, I was in the bathroom.”  
I nodded. “So, how bout _Pet Sematary_ then?” I held the disc up.  
“I thought you wanted me to read the book first.” He sighed.  
“I mean, that would be preferable, but I also was tryin to watch it at my house and Leon was bein a dick.” I explained.  
“I see, so you thought you’d come here and give me a heart attack?”   
I stared up at him, holding my hopeful gaze. “I mean, unless you have any objections.”   
“To what? The heart attack or the movie?”  
“Yes.” I snickered.  
He sighed. “Well, I’d kind of like to stay alive…..but the movie I suppose I could deal with.”  
“That’s the spirit!” I cheered, sitting up to put the disc in the DVD player. 

I scooted back to where he was sitting up, against his pillow, and laid myself across his lap while the disc loaded.   
He sighed, stroking his fingers through my hair.  
“You’re so persistent.”  
“Yeah, but that’s what you love about me!”   
He tried to fight back a smile. “I suppose.”


	17. A Change

**Elijah’s POV**

The next morning, I awoke to the suspicious feeling that someone or something was watching me. I brushed it off, figuring it was probably leftover from some dream I wasn’t quite remembering.   
I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes and rolled over to find Nico’s blood red eyes peering over the side of my bed at me. “Jesus, Nico.” I muttered, only slightly startled this time. “Did you...God, I’m so tired, I almost said _sleep_ here. Have you been here _all_ night?”  
“I told you not to leave your window open, man.” He smirked.  
“That didn’t answer my question.” I yawned, slowly sitting upright. “....though I will make a note of it.”  
“Mmm, yes and no.” He shrugged. I spent most of it reading out in the woods, came back here a couple of hours ago to see if you were up yet.”  
I raised my eyebrows at him. “I think to take the title of The Stalker in this relationship is more like it.”  
“Are you seriously suggesting that you’re not even just a _little_ bit happy to see me?” He pinched his finger to his thumb at little.  
I couldn’t help but grin a little at the cute little puppy-doglike face he made at that. “Of course I am.”  
My lips were just barely touching his when a solid couple knocks hit against my door and I pulled away, in the event that Sam decided to open it anyway.  
“Breakfast is downstairs, if you’re hungry!” Sam called, from the otherside of the door.  
“I’ll be down in a minute, I’m just getting up!”  
“Alright.” He answered. “Don’t take too long, then.”  
Nico popped back up from under the bed when I turned back around to face him. He was holding a notebook of drawings I hadn’t realized had gotten pushed under there.  
“Thought you might not be up to explaining your little stalker.” He explained, flipping through the notebook. “These are _really_ good, by the way, why didn’t you tell me you were an artist?”  
“Because I’m _not_ , Liar. Those are far from good.”  
He seemed taken back by my answer. “Well then what do you call good, exactly?”  
“Not those, now can I have my notebook back?” I chuckled.  
He handed it back, albeit reluctantly. “Fiiiiine.”  
“Thank you.” I motioned my hand towards the still open window. “Now go….meet me outside, I’ll grab some breakfast and we can go for a walk on the beach or something.”  
This seemed to satisfy him. “Sounds romantic.”  
“I try.”  
He swung a leg over the otherside of the window, as I kissed him briefly on the lips.  
“See you in about five, ten minutes at most.”  
“I’ll be counting the seconds.” he replied, just before leaping back down to the ground.

I chuckled to myself, grabbed a backpack which I’d tossed my shirt and an extra pair of shorts in, and headed downstairs to grab some breakfast for the road.

“Hey, sleepyhead!” Sam greeted, with a mouthful of food, when he saw me come down the stairs.  
“Yeah, yeah. Listen, I hate to eat and run…or rather run and eat..” I answered, packing some food to go with me. “...but I- “  
“...have a hot date with your little vampire?” Sam teased.  
I rolled my eyes. “We’re just going for a walk on the beach.”  
“Right.” He smirked, clearly not buying it. “Well, have fun then.”  
“Will do.” I sighed, heading for the door.   
“Bet you will.” I heard him snicker under his breath, when he thought I was out of earshot.  
I just shook my head and started making my way back around to meet up with Nico.

“Hey, long time no see, stranger!” Nico teased when I met back around, outside my bedroom window.  
His eyebrows raised, and a smirk spread across his face when he noticed my backpack. “Oooh, are we havin a sleepover?”  
“Ha ha.” I chuckled, holding the backpack toward him. “Mind holding this?”  
He motioned for me to toss it to him. “Course not.”  
“Good.” He caught it with one hand when I tossed it to him.  
“So, what’s in it?”  
I shrugged. “Just figured it was time for _me_ to give _you_ a ride, for a change.”  
“What are you- “He started to ask.   
I stepped back from him, phasing into my wolf form, in front of his very eyes, while he just watched in total awe. I sat, motioning my head for him to jump onto my back.  
He grinned, slinging my backpack over his back, and happily obliging.  
He adjusted himself to where he was comfortable, stroking his fingers through my shaggy, chocolate brown fur coat til he reached my ears and began scratching just behind them.  
I waited for him to finish before I took off towards La Push beach.


	18. The Beach

**Nico's POV**

I waited impatiently for him to change into his spare clothes, once he phased back into his human form. “I still say it’s more fun if you just forget the clothes all together!”  
I couldn’t see from the otherside of the rock he was changing behind, but he was probably rolling his eyes at that.  
“Yeah, well last I checked, I wasn’t exempt from those little things we call public nudity laws!”  
I took a quick glance around. “No one here but us, babe. I won’t tell if you won’t!”  
He sighed. “Even so, I think I’ll play it safe for now!”  
I shook my head. “Your loss then.”  
“How is my staying clothed _my_ loss, now?” He asked  
“....Because maybe I was thinking this could be a two way street!” I smirked.  
He peeked his head around that damned rock. “....Tempting…..though, I’m already dressed now, anyway.”  
“Next time, then.”  
“We’ll talk, he laughed. “For now, just bare with me and my terrible insistence of staying decent to walk down the beach with my boyfriend, would you?”  
“If you say so.” I sighed, taking his hand when he came back out from behind his rock.

We walked hand in hand down the beach, right up alongside the water. It really was beautiful, that time of day. _Almost as beautiful as he is._  
“So, how come you never brought me down here before?” I finally asked.  
He shrugged. “You were just so excited to introduce me to your Stephen King collection, movie and bookwise, and to show me around to your hangout spots, I just wanted to indulge you for a while.”  
“More like, you wanted to avoid exposing me to your little pack, I think.”  
“Can’t it be both?” He suggested, not even attempting to deny it.  
“Would it be so bad if I _was_ exposed to them? I mean, they can’t be as bad as Leon, about this whole dumb feud thing, and even he wouldn’t do anything to you if he saw you in the house.”  
“Ehh, it’s not that.” He sighed. “They’re cool with it, cause they have to be, I just-”  
“Why do they _have_ to be?” I interrupted.  
He hesitated for a moment before speaking again, as if this was something he’d been avoiding getting off his chest. “.....Because it’s our one law, above anything else.”  
“Toooo let your fellow pack members hook up with vampires?” I chuckled. “I think I could get used to this law.”  
He chuckled nervously. “Nahh, its uhh….it’s that….. whoever a wolf imprints on can’t be harmed.”  
“.....English, please?” I tried not to make it sound insensitive. _Still, it sounded better in my head._ “Sorry, I’m still new to this whole vampire/wolf terminology thing.”  
He nodded. “Imprinting. It’s like….it’s when you meet someone, and..and the world just stops turning in that moment, and suddenly…...suddenly it’s not gravity holding you the ground...it’s them. You’d do anything, be anything they need, whether it be a lover...a protector….” He trailed off.  
I stood, staring at him for a moment, trying to process all of this. “You’re saying this is how you felt when you met me, back in that bookstore?”  
“Would it freak you out if I said yes?” He seemed to be growing increasingly more nervous.  
“Would it freak you out if I said it didn’t?”  
He chuckled at that, and I could hear the relief in his voice. “Considering you basically admitted to watching me sleep this morning, nah. I can’t say that it does.”  
He took me into his arms as I wrapped mine around him.   
“Good.” He said. “I was more than a little worried about scaring you off with all that. I know it’s a lot for you to take in.  
“Mmmn mmm.” I insisted. “You could _never_ scare me off. I’m afraid you’re stuck with me!”  
A grin spread across his face. “I think I could live with that.”  
“You better.” I whispered, pressing my lips against his while he pulled me closer, running his fingers through my curly hair in that way he knew I couldn’t resist. “I love you.” I whispered.  
“I love you more.” he insisted.  
“Never.” I whispered back

“So….” I said as we continued our walk along the beach.  
“So….what?”  
I raised an eyebrow “Why _don’t_ you wanna expose me to this pack of yours? Afraid they might scare me off too?”  
“It is.” He sighed. “Perks of the good ol’ wolf telepathy curse, whenever I phase, everybody in the pack can hear _every_ single thought I’ve had about you, and they, Sam especially, have not gotten off my back about my new _vampire boyfriend”_ He added air quotes to that last part. “....and we’ve only been going out a couple months now. I didn’t need them getting all up in your case too, potentially freaking you out to possibly never wanting to talk to me again.  
“Awww…” I teased, roughing his hair up a little.   
“What?”  
“It’s cute how you think you think you could get rid of me that easily.” I smirked. “Even if you wanted to….which you’re lucky for.”  
“Lucky that I can’t get rid of you?” He chuckled. “I mean, I am, but I wouldn’t put it quite that way.”  
I shook my head. “Well, lucky for that too, I guess. But nah, I meant lucky that I find it cute.”  
“Oh, I am, am I?”  
“Yes.” I answered. “Yes, cause otherwise, I might be just a liiittle bit insulted that you doubt me so much with your silly little belief that I could actually be scared off that easily.  
“Oh that.” He tried desperately to stifle a laugh, trying to act surprised. “Yeah, alright, I guess you have a point there.”  
I grabbed him and tossed him, playfully, up against a nearby rock we had just passed, and pinned him up against it. “Oh, you guess I have a point, do you?”  
“Yeah.” He answered, fighting to reverse the position to where he was pinning me against the rock. “I guess.”  
I wrestled him down to the ground, to the point where he couldn’t get back up.  
“Alright, alright!” He laughed. “I give, I give, now let me up!”  
I shook my head. “Nah...Nah, I think I like you in _this_ position quite a bit better.”  
He sighed in obvious defeat. “You’re sooo stubborn.”  
“Well, that’s why you love me, isn’t it?” I whispered before kissing him.  
“I guess.” He whispered back with a smirk.


	19. Part Of Us

**Elijah’s POV**

“Alright…” I said, after pulling away from our kiss. “Tell you what…”  
He kissed me again, but quickly, before he spoke. “What?  
“I’m being silly about introducing you around.” I admitted.  
He chuckled softly. “Are you? I hadn’t noticed.”  
“Ha ha. Anyway, we’re having somewhat of a bonfire slash counsel meeting kinda thing tonight, if you wanna come. Get to know everyone and whatnot.”  
He raised his eyebrows at that. “What, like a tribe thing?”  
“Pretty much.”  
“Is that even allowed?” He asked, obviously shocked by the invitation.  
“What, having my little _vampire_ boyfriend crash the tribe meeting?” I teased. “And anyway, they sort of invited you. Thought it’d be good for you to hear the histories, being a part of us and all, now.”  
“Like the tribe’s histories?” He asked. “Aren’t those like...secret?”  
“To most people, but like I said, you’re part of us now.” I reminded him. “Although, you would be the first vampire attendee.”  
‘I feel so honored.” He chuckled. “Alright, it’s a date then.”  
“Cool.”  
He nodded. “First vampire attendee at a tribe meeting.”  
“You’re making history.” I chuckled. “Sooo, that’s tonight….what do you wanna do in the meantime? Got some time or need to head back for a bit?”  
He shook his head. “I’ll stay here, Leon can sit and stew for a while. I’m kinda pissed at him.”  
“Sounds good to me….What do you wanna do then?”  
“You tell me.” He whispered, leaning in to kiss me

Everyone was already gathered around the fire when we arrived.   
“You’re _sure_ this is okay?” Nico asked for like the sixth time.  
“You wouldn’t be invited if it wasn’t, silly.” I reassured him, putting my arm around him. “You’re fine, really.”  
“If you say so.” He chuckled, just as Naomi and her sister were running up to meet us.  
“I thought I smelled a bloodsucker!” She beamed, a little too cheerfully, as she threw her arms around him. “Nico, you remember my sister, Natalie?”  
He reached his hand out to shake hers. “Course I do. “How’ve you been?”  
“Good, good. And I wouldn’t fault you if you didn’t. I think we’ve only met like once or twice.”  
“Well, I guess you just left an impression then.”  
“You’re too sweet.” She insisted, before leaving to sit with Naomi and Leah, who was shooting him some dirty looks. “Nice seeing you again.”  
“An impression, huh?” I snickered, placing my hands aroun his waist.  
“Oh, what? Are you jealous now? “ He laughed. “Afraid Nat’s gonna sweep me off my feet, or somethin?”  
“Well, now that you mention it….” I teased.  
“You’re terrible.” He fake whined.  
“I know, I’m the worst. How do you even-”  
“Hey, _there’s_ the man of the hour!” Sam interrupted, as he and some of the guys came up from behind us. “We were startin to think you wouldn’t show!”   
“....put up with me.” I finished, under my breath, shaking my head. “Yeah, still a riot man!”  
Sam proceeded to mess up my hair. “Come on, you know we’re messin with you, bro!”  
“Right.” I rolled my eyes, letting out an exasperated sigh. “Nico, my brother, Sam. That’s Naomi’s cousin, Quil. Embry, Jared, Paul, and Leah’s brother, Seth. Guys, Nico.”  
“It’s a pleasure.” Nico chuckled, clearly basking in the attention. _Talk about a novel approach._  
“Alright, well grab a seat, guys. Billy’s just about to start.”

We grabbed a spot just between Naomi and Sam, who was sitting next to Emily, as Billy began the story

“The Quileutes have always been a small tribe, but we have always had magic in our blood.   
We were great spirit warriors, shapeshifters that transformed to the powerful wolf. This enabled us to scare off our enemies and protect our tribe. One day, our warriors came across a creature that looked like man, but was hard like stone and cold as ice. Our warrior sharp teeth tore it apart, but only fire would completely destroy it. They lived in fear that the cold man was not alone...and they were right. She took her vengeance out on the village. Our elder chief, Taha Aki, was the only spirit warrior left to save the tribe after his son was killed. Taha Aki’s third wife could see that he would lose, the third wife was no magical being. No special powers but one….courage. The third wife’s sacrifice distracted the cold woman long enough for Taha Aki to destroy her. She saved the tribe. Over time, our enemies have disappeared...but one remains. The Cold ones. Our magic awakens when they’re near. And we sense it now, we feel the threat in our blood….that something terrible is coming. And we must all be ready. All of us.”

I walked Nico home, shortly after the meeting ended.  
He chuckled. “So _that’s_ what you all think of me. I see how it is.”  
 _In his defense, I probably should’ve given him something of a warning before throwing him to the wolves, so to speak._  
“Aw, come on. It’s not like that.” I chuckled nervously. “If anything, you should know now that it’s not a personal thing.”  
:He pinned me, playfully, up against the nearest tree with a smirk. “Babe, I’m teasing you.”  
“Well don’t do that then!” I groaned. “I thought I’d seriously scared you away with that whole _cold ones_ and _threat_ aspect of it. Like, for good maybe.”  
“Once again.” He sighed. “That terrible, terrible habit you have of underestimating me. Disappoints me, you know that?”  
“Well, I will take _that_ over scaring you away any day. _That_ I can live with.”  
He took another look at me, as we got closer to his house. “You are damn lucky you’re cute. You know _that?_ ”  
“IIIi disagree, buuut I do know I am lucky you think that of me!”  
He sighed. “There you go again, will you knock that off?” He was trying desperately not to laugh.  
“Alright, well, I think this is your stop.” I laughed. “I’ll see you tomorrow?”  
“Actually….” He smirked a little. “I am not staying….I was actually gonna ask you if I could stay at your house tonight.”  
“And do what?” I teased. “You don’t sleep! What are you gonna do when I eventually do?”  
“Why do you think I came all the way back here?” He explained. “I gotta get my current read to...well, read, when you fall asleep.”  
“Which brings me to my next question. Why’d you make me come all the way back with you if you’re just coming right back to see me some more anyway?”  
“Because otherwise, I would’ve missed the pleasure of your company.” He smirked, patting me on the shoulder. “...Be right back!”  
He flew up to the second story window, which lead to his bedroom, before I could object.   
I shook my head, leaning back up against a nearby tree, while I waited for him to return.”


	20. Stubborn

**Nico’s POV**

I packed my backpack with Stephen King movies I’d yet to introduce Elijah to along with my copy of _The Fireman_ by Joe Hill, my current read, and zipped it up just as a pair of knocks struck my bedroom door.   
I rolled my eyes, thinking it was probably Leon having come up with some bullshit apology.   
“What do you want?”   
“Can I come in?” Liz’s voice responded instead.  
“Sure, but make it quick.” I answered, hoping not to sound too snappish. I stood, slinging my backpack over my shoulder, as she opened the door about halfway. “Leon send you up here to check on me?”  
“I was worried about you, we hadn’t heard from you all day.”  
“GOOD. I mean…I’m sorry to get _you_ worried. _You,_ I should've called. I hope he is though, he can stew in it right now, for all I care. I’m so SICK of this childish little feud he has with the wolves.”  
“I know…” She answered quietly. “I don’t like it either, but….”   
“But what?”  
“Nothing.” She sighed.  
I nodded. “I’m sorry to raise my voice with you, you don’t deserve that.”  
“Trust me, I get it. They’ve been nothing but good to me, his attitude is starting to wear on me too.”  
“Well, you’re welcome to come with me.” I offered. “Elijah already agreed to me staying, I’m sure he won’t mind one more.”  
“I wouldn’t wanna impose, plus someone’s gotta keep Leon in line here…..God knows Imogen won’t.”  
I chuckled. “You know, sometimes I think she’s even worse than he is about them.”  
“No, she definitely is.” She agreed. “How long you staying?”  
“ I dunno.” I shrugged, swinging one foot out the window. “Just tonight, so far. We’ll see what’s happening tomorrow.”  
She nodded. “Kay.”  
“I’ll call you this time.” I promised.   
“I know you will. Say hi to Elijah for me.”  
“Will do. See ya.”  
I leapt down to where Elijah was waiting before she had a chance to say it back.

Liz never particularly cared for Leon’s dumb little feud with the wolves. I didn’t always know how close to home the whole conflict was to her or why, but it was always obvious. Even if I did always just look the other way from it.  
With how much worse he’d gotten with them, just because I was going out out with Elijah, it was just becoming the last straw with her….and me too, at the risk of stating the obvious.  
I always just accepted _well, it’s a vampire slash wolf thing. Maybe there’s a reason we’re not supposed to get along with them._ Like cats and dogs, if you would.  
Getting to know Elijah and his side of it, however, just infuriated me. They were able to set aside this petty ongoing feud for one of their own who’d fallen for the other side. Why couldn’t Leon? What made him so damn special? Sure, some of them probably didn’t like it, Leah’s glares weren’t ever exactly subtle, they made their little bloodsucker jokes, but for the most part they could shut up about it. It’s their law, even, that they just live and let live, if one of them imprints on one of us.

“He’s just stubborn.” I muttered to myself.  
“What’s that?” Elijah asked, from behind the tree he’d been waiting by.  
“Tell you on the way.” I sighed. “Ready to go?”  
“Been waiting on you.”  
“Aww.” I kissed him on the cheek, teasing him. “Good puppy.”  
“Ha ha.” He rolled his eyes before noting my backpack. “All that just for one book? You know I’m not taking you on my back again this time.”  
“Awww…” I whined. “Didn’t know that, but I do have more than just one book in here.”  
“Like what?” He teased. “Pajamas? An extra pair of clothes, maybe? You don’t sleep.”  
“Gosh, really?” I put my hand sarcastically to my chest. “Well thank you for pointing that out. I had no idea!”  
“Alright, smartass.” He chuckled. “What’s really in there then?”  
“My book, some Stephen King movies I don’t think you’ve seen. You know, essentials.”  
“Right.” He answered. “What book are you on, again?”  
 _“The Fireman_ , by Joe Hill.”  
He put a hand to his chest in a similar gesture. “NOT a Stephen King one this time? Nico Holland, I am _shocked_ at you!”  
“Very funny.” I chuckled. “Joe Hill is his son, so I’m only venturing _slightly_ out.”  
“That figures….Is it any good?”  
“VERY good.” I corrected. “Burn through a couple more King novels, and maybe I’ll loan it to ya.”  
He shrugged. “Fair enough, I suppose.”   
I nodded. “How are you coming with _The Stand_ , by the way?”  
“Just finished it last night, after I thought you left.”  
“I told you, I did leave.” I reminded him. “I just came back before you woke up, remember?”  
“Right.”  
“Anyway...time to find you a new book, I suppose.”  
“I suppose it is. What do you recommend then?” He asked.  
“I’ll skim my loaner shelf tomorrow and see what I can find ya...deal?”  
“Loaner? Aww, come onnn, don’t you trust me with one of your special copies by now?”  
“Oh my special copies.” I repeated. “As in my signed and/or first edition copies? Nobody, and I mean _Noooobody_ touches any of those. I don’t care how long we know eachother or how well. Those are my babies.”  
“Right, your babies.”  
“But…” I added. “I suppose you are ready to read one of my regular copies.”  
He touched his hand to his chest again. “I feel so honored.”  
“You know what, keep up that attitude and I might have to change my mind.”  
“Awww come onnn…” He whined. “I’m teasing. You know I’m ready.”  
“My God, you’re such a baby, you know that?” I laughed. “So was I.”  
“Were you?” He snickered.  
“Might’ve been…you’re gonna have to wait to find out.”  
“Nicoooo”  
“Alright, fine. Give me a ride back to your place, and maybe I’ll consider it sooner.”  
He sighed. “You just wanna see me try to sneak back in nude, don’t you.”  
“Is that an option?”  
“Man, what’d I say about bein a smartass?” He sighed. “No, it is _not_ an option.”  
“Well, that’s boring.”  
“Deal with it.” He smirked. “Come on, let’s get goin.”  
“Lead the way.” I chuckled, taking his hand as we walked back through the woods.


	21. Dirty Little Secret

**Elijah’s POV**

I awoke relatively early and leisurely reached for my phone, expecting a text from Nico updating me on the situation with Leon….none. Strange, But I digressed. _He’s probably on his way to my window._  
I shrugged, turning over to nod back off, but instead found him peering over at me from that side of the bed. “JESUS!!!”   
He glanced around, sarcastically, at the expression. “Nooope, just me.”  
“What are you still doing here??”  
“Teaching Leon a lesson, remember?”  
“That was THE OTHER night though.”  
“I don’t remember specifying that.” He tried to defend. “I _do_ remember telling you that we’d see how the other night went and that maybe I’d go home yesterday.”  
“You said no such thing, but alright.” I yawned.  
“I’m pretty sure I did…”  
“I’m confident you didn’t.” I objected, still.  
“Really?” He stopped to consider for a moment. “...Maybe that was Liz I said that to….”  
“Must’ve been..” I sighed. “Anyway, I guess it doesn’t matter. It’s not like I’m disappointed to see you.”  
He gasped and dramatically put his hand to his chest. “Be still, my beating heart.”  
“...You haven’t had a beating heart since March.” I chuckled. Or are there holes in your origin story?”  
He blushed...or, whatever the vampire equivalent to it is. “You make me sound like I’m some kind of superhero.”  
“Maybe you are.”  
“I doubt it, but I’ll accept the compliment.” He chuckled.  
“I nodded. “So, do you intend to spend the night tonight too?”  
He smirked a little. “If that’s okay with you.”  
“Always okay with me.” I corrected, leaning in close enough to kiss him.  
Though, just as I did, Sam was knocking at my door.   
“Every time.” I muttered under my breath, shaking my head. “Yeah, come in.”  
He opened the door just as Nico bolted under the bed.  
“Everything alright?” He asked. “Em said she heard screaming from up here.”  
I shrugged. “....Couldn’t have been too concerned if no one came up til just now to check on me…..anyway, it was just a spider.”  
Sam glanced down to the ground. “A spider named Nico, by any chance?” He smirked.  
“Hi, Sam!” Nico laughed in response.  
“Hey, Nico.” Sam chuckled. “Wanna tell me why you’re under my brother’s bed?”  
“Would you believe that hiding from awkward conversations is my specialty?”  
“Given the one being had right now, can’t say I do.” I sighed.  
“Take my word for it then, I usually am!” He insisted.  
I shook my head, pointing a finger to Sam which Nico clearly didn’t catch. “You, out. I’ll be down in a few.”  
“But I just got here!” Nico lied  
“Alright, see you in a bit then.” Sam agreed, shutting the door behind him when he finally left.  
I turned my attention back to Nico, who was already back up on the bed, behind me.   
I shook my head again. “.....That was _very_ convincing.”  
“I try”  
“Wasn’t a compliment.” I chuckled. “Now, where were we?”  
He grinned, waiting for me to lean back in, closer to him. “You tell me…...or better yet, _show_ me.”  
I pulled him closer, my lips right up against his, answering just above a whisper. “Gladly.”

Come just after dinner, I returned to my bedroom to find Nico still in his spot on my bed, little more than halfway through his Joe Hill novel. His phone sat on my end table, buzzing for what appeared to be the fifth time as he continued to ignore it.  
“You gonna get that?” I chuckled.  
“I only put down a book to answer a call from one of two people, Elijah. You, or the King himself.” He answered, not looking up from his book. “Certainly not for petty little feuds like Leon’s.”  
“Why don’t you just shut the phone off then?”  
He turned a page, briefly glancing up from it with a smirk. “Cause then it would go straight to voicemail. This way he gets to hear it ring….and stew…”  
“You know, your skin ain’t the only thing that’s ice cold, Babe.” I snickered.  
“Thank you, I try.” He smirked, marking his spot in his book to set it back down on the end table, as I sat down next to him.  
“You know, you _could_ come downstairs once in a while if you wanted to.” I pointed out. “Don’t have to hide up here like some dirty little secret or something.  
He grinned at the insinuation. “...Well, maybe I _like_ bein your dirty little secret..”  
“You’re so bad, you know that?.” I teased as he scooted closer to me, leaning his head on my shoulder.  
“Bad as you want, Baby.”  
“Don’t I know it.” I moved to kiss him, right as his phone went off for a sixth time. I shook my head. “Man, if it’s not Sam, it’s another thing.  
He snickered, promptly clicking the call away this time. “Suppose it won’t kill me to send some of them straight to voicemail.   
I snickered along with him. “Suppose it won’t.”  
He pulled me closer again as I kissed him.  
He slid one leg over my other side, so that he was straddling me while we kissed.  
I was into it, until he looked at me a little more suggestively. He raised his eyebrows.  
“Don’t give me that look.” I chuckled. “You _really_ wanna risk Sam walkin in on us?”  
“What I want is for you to get a lock for that door.”  
“I have a lock on it, it’s just broken.” I corrected.  
“Whatever.” He said with a, albeit cute, mocking tone. “Rephrasing then, what I _want_ is for you to get the lock you have fixed...or get a _new_ one. Happy?”  
“Not really.” I admitted. “That means our options are sort of limited.  
“Oh, _sort of_ limited?”  
I rolled my eyes. “Alright, a _lot_. Now are you happy?”  
“Well, not really. We’ve just established you have a broken lock on your door, did we not?”  
I just sighed. “Unfortunately, we did.” I shook my head again as if to shake it off. “Tell you what though…”  
“What?”  
I went back to kissing him again. “How bout we establish something else?”  
“I think I could live with that.” He whispered.


	22. August

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the long absence, fellow readers.
> 
> I haven't been able to keep up with updating the past few weeks due to hard drive issues and my laptop being my primary writing tool.  
> Luckily said issue is resolved now though, so I'll be back to regular updates!
> 
> Thanks for your patience.

**Nico’s POV**

Elijah turned over sleepily to face me, slowly opening his eyes as he awoke to find me sitting up next to him on the bed while I scrolled along on my laptop.  
“Nico Holland, if you are so much as _thinking_ of buying another face mask, I’m afraid I’m gonna have to stage an intervention.” He yawned. “I mean, where do you even go that isn’t my bedroom or up a tree?”  
“Bold of you to think that would even come close to stopping me if I was…….or that I even leave your room anymore.” I chuckled. “But no. I’m Halloween hunting.”  
“Halloween hunting?” He asked, still rubbing sleep from his eyes as he sat up.  
“For my costume.” I explained. “Gotta start getting it all together, if I wanna get it right.”  
“....It’s August.”  
“Exactly.” I pointed out. “Which leaves me only two months to perfect it.”  
“I rest my case then.” He shrugged, his eyes skimming the eBay search results on my screen. “...Your costume is a croquet player?”  
“For your information, Mister Man, _these_ are _roque_ mallets.” I chuckled. “For my Jack Torrance costume.”  
“......I fail to see the correlation.” He sighed. “I thought his weapon of choice was an axe.”  
“My God.” I muttered under my breath. “.......You get the benefit of the doubt for being cute, but only for that reason.”  
“....Thank you?”  
“Stanley Kubrick’s excuse for a Jack Torrance wields an axe.” I corrected. “The _real_ Jack Torrance wielded a roque mallet “  
“The Jack Torrance?”  
“Book Jack Torrance. The one that Stephen King wrote.”  
“.....Is that not what the movie is based on?”  
I sunk my head back into the pillow I was leaning against. “Not well…..And now we’re watching the miniseries tonight.”  
“There was a miniseries?”  
“Elijah, I love you…” I sighed, pinching my finger to my thumb. “But my patience is about here, right now.”  
“Alright.” He chuckled. “Calm down. We’ll watch the miniseries tonight.”  
“Damn right we are.” I smirked, roughing up his already messy bed hair. “I’ll stop by my house for it when Leon and Imogen leave for their hunt. Liz is supposed to keep me updated on that.”  
“Still watchin him stew, huh?”  
“...Aaaand enjoying every second of it!” I added, perhaps a little too cheerfully. _I digress, though._ ”What I wouldn't give to be a fly on the wall and watch it firsthand.  
“Have I told you how much I’m loving this new evil, petty side of you?”  
“Who says it’s a new side of me?” I smirked.  
“Well, new to me, then.” He corrected. “Happy.”  
“Well, more so.”  
“I’ll take it.” He chuckled. “On that note, what might your agenda for today be…...besides staring at croque mallets?”  
 __“Roque mallets…..and, very funny.”  
“Whatever.” He sighed. “And thank you, I do try.”  
“It shows.”  
“Good. So...back to my question. What’s the plan, Mr. Evil Genius?”  
I raised my finger to make my point. “I never claimed to be a genius….although, I am flattered by the title.”  
“Still not an answer.” He sighed.  
“I was hoping you might have something in mind. Surprise me, and whatnot. You seem to have a knack for that.”  
He grinned, obviously flattered. “Suppooose I could come up with sooomething.”   
“Alright, well hold that thought for now, Liz just texted me.” I kissed his neck before standing up to make my way toward the window. “I should pop over there real quick, grab said miniseries and a book for myself before you know who gets back from his hunt.”  
“You want me to come with?”  
“Mmmm, normally yes, but if Leon or Imogen comes back early for whatever reason, I don’t want you involved with that.” I swung a leg over the other side of the window. “I’ll text ya once I’m on my way back. Alright?”  
He nodded. “Sounds good.”  
I kissed him again, before making my leap to the ground.

Liz was waiting for me, back in my room, not saying anything til I grabbed the stuff to toss in the backpack to take back with me.  
“So, how much longer are you staying over there again, exactly?” She finally asked.  
“As long as it takes for Leon to see what a dick he’s being about all this.”  
She shook her head in disappointment. “You’re gonna be over there an awfully long time then…….and I miss you. I miss having you around here, to watch Stephen King movies, good and bad.  
I smiled, a little half smile. “Well, don’t think you can’t see me _at all._ You’re welcome to come hang at Elijah’s with us, for a bit or whatever.”  
“It’s fine, I couldn’t impose like that. Besides, I’ hate to be a third wheel too.”  
“It wouldn’t be like that, but alright.” I sighed. “If you insist.”  
“ I do, I appreciate the offer though.”  
“No prob.” I slung the backpack back over my shoulder, after I’d zipped it up, and made my way back to the window. “I’ll still keep in touch with you this time.”  
She nodded. “Thanks.”  
“See you around.”  
I leapt back down from the window before she could respond again, darting through the woods as I made my way back to Elijah’s house.


	23. Spilled Coffee

**Eljah’s POV**

_“I’ll text you when I’m on my way back”_ I rolled my eyes at the thought. _Right, like he’s capable of not making a show of sneaking up on me._  
I stood in the kitchen, back turned to the door, fixing myself some breakfast while I waited for the text I was allegedly supposed to get, telling me Nico’s on his way back with his DVDs….and whatever else he had up his sleeve.   
“I’d sooner believe he was more capable of finding something nice to say about that _Dark Tower_ movie than he is of giving me notice before he shows up.” I said aloud to, well I thought anyway, myself. I shook my head  
“Awww, come ooonnn! That’s what you love about me!” Nico interjected from a countertop he was suddenly sitting on, startling me into spilling the pot of coffee I was pouring. I tossed my arms up as I turned to face him. “What do I even bother with caffeine anymore for when I have _you_ to wake me up?”  
“Sorry.” He chuckled. He leapt off the counter when I kneeled down to wipe it up. “Here, lemme get that for you.”  
“ I got it.” I insisted.  
“Alright, well at least lemme get you another one.” He insisted back.  
“That is neither necessary nor possible.” I sighed. “You spilled the last of it.”  
“Diiiid I?” He boasted, reaching into his backpack for something.  
“What did you- ?’ I started to ask before he pulled out a small bag of coffee from it.   
“Pike Place medium roast, right?”  
“Right, but how did you know…..and when did you go to Starbucks?”  
“A good stalker always knows how to find this kind of thing out….and I didn’t. Had some at the house.”  
“....No one at your house eats or drinks anything”  
“No one who _lives_ at my house eats or drinks anything” He corrected. “we keep a small supply for guests.”  
“..and you just happened to have this blend?”  
“Like I mentioned before, human me had somewhat of a Starbucks addiction, so _that’s_ from my old place. I packed it up when I moved out. Now, personally, _I_ was more of a dark roast guy, myself. I just ended up with that by chance one day when they were out of dark.”  
“I see.”  
“As my memory serves, dark was significantly better.” He smirked.  
“Noted.” I chuckled. “In the meantime, this one will do fine.”  
“Are you sure? Cause I can grab a mask and go to Starbucks, if you’d rather try the other.”  
I shook my head with another chuckle. “Maybe next time.”  
He nodded as I went to fix myself a pot of the new brew.  
“So, what else you got up your sleeve there?”  
He began rummaging through the pack again. “The miniseries I promised, another couple books for myself, aaaand some more King favorites of mine...also on DVD.”  
“Aaaand the so called King Favorites are?”  
He grabbed them out of his pack and held them out. “ _Christine_ , _Big Driver_ , and _Cujo_.”   
“I’m sensing a theme here.”  
“Right.” He laughed. “Well, the first two were unintentional, then when I realized it, I just said “What the Hell? and went with it.”  
I nodded. “Not a bad idea, I’ve heard good things about those ones.”  
“Better have.” He smirked. “And I still can’t believe you haven’t ever seen _Cujo_! I mean, how does that even happen?”  
“I’m just gonna ignore the obvious dog joke there aaand tell you that I just don’t believe in movies that everyone HAS to see.” I sighed. “The whole concept is overdrilled into my head and, quite frankly, more often than not just builds them up waaay more than they really are worth….I will watch it now because I’m particularly invested in doing so now though.”  
He sounded so defeated when he sighed. “I suppose I’ll take it…….for now.”  
“And _Iiiiii_ will take that answer...for now.” I chuckled.  
He shook his head. “You’re terrible.”  
“I know, I’m just the worst. No wonder you come in here and have to make me spill my coffee.”  
“Okay, _that_ was uncalled for!” He chuckled. “I said I was sorry and gave you another bag….you’re welcome, by the way.”  
“ I rolled my eyes. “Yes, thank you for that. Happy?”  
“I am” He smirked.   
“.....And thank you for insulting my taste in coffee right after.” I snickered.  
“Oh, _I_ insulted your taste in coffee?”  
“Yes, you did. And I’m extremely offended by it.” I cut him off before he could even open his mouth to speak again. “ _Especially_ from one who doesn’t even need coffee anymore.”  
“Whatever.” He sighed. “So, what’s on the agenda today, any ideas?”  
“Process of elimination, it does NOT involve spilling my coffee again.” I smirked.  
“Oh my God…” He muttered. “I’m never gonna live this down, am I?”  
“Not for the foreseeable future, you’re not.”  
He groaned quite dramatically. “What do I have to do, man? Buy you a whole damn Starbucks?” He was trying desperately not to smile….and losing. “Would that make you happy?”  
“Is that an option?” I chuckled.  
He put his head in his hands. “You are just impossible, you know that?”  
“Yeeeahhh, but that’s just what you love about me, isn’t it.”  
He sighed, peeking between his fingers, probably hoping I hadn’t noticed. “....You’re not totally wrong. I don’t like it….but I suppose it does crack the top ten, if you put a gun to my head.”  
“What good would a gun to your head do? You’re kind of bulletproof, are you not?”  
“You are just going out of your way to prove how impossible you are, now, aren’t you?”  
“I might be.” I shrugged, getting ready to pour the new pot of coffee. “Now, I’m gonna pour this waaay over here, so that you’re not tempted.” I snickered.  
He slid down off the countertop, trying desperately to keep a straight face again. “That’s it, I’m gone.”  
“I’m kidding!” I laughed. “Kidding, kidding! Come on, you know that.”  
“Do I?” He called back, already in the other room.  
“Yes, you do. Please come back.”  
He approached the entryway, peering from around a corner. “Alright, I will if you beg some more.” He smirked.  
“Nicooo” I whined, unintentionally giving in.   
“That’s what I like to hear.” He kissed my cheek as he sat back down next to me. “So, seriously tell me now...what do you wanna do today?”


	24. Cranky

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for your patience with this chapter, readers!   
> I know it's been a hot minute since I've given you an update!
> 
> For those of you also reading my Hannibal fic, Her Father's Keeper, I'll be gettin to work on that for you tomorrow!

**Nico’s POV**

Elijah sipped on his coffee as we walked hand in hand along La Push beach, tossing around ways to spend the rest of the day.  
I rolled my eyes at the grip he seemed to have on his coffee thermos….which he apparently caught.  
“What?”  
I pointed to it as he swallowed another sip from it. “ _That_ ….If you really love your coffee so much, why don’t you marry it.  
He chuckled at the observation. “Are you kidding? This coffee is _waaaay_ out of my league.”  
I shook my head. “All I’m sayin is that you seem particularly protective of that coffee.”  
“I mean, It couldn’t _possibly_ be because _somebody_ made me spill my last one.”  
“My God….” I muttered under my breath. “I said I was sorry. Short of buying you your own private Starbucks, _what_ is going to make you accept that.”  
“I was _kidding._ ” He sighed. “God, you’re such a baby.”  
“Am I?” I teased, trying my best to look disappointed in him….and failing.  
“Yes...come on, you know that.” He insisted.  
I rolled my eyes, trying to keep up the act. “Yeah, I guess.”  
He sighed. “Alright, well short of buying _you_ your own private Stephen King library, how can I make it up to you?”  
I folded my arms across my chest, keeping them there just long enough to raise the suspense.  
“....I suppose there is _one_ thing you could do….” I smirked.  
“Dare I even ask?” He sighed.  
“Calm down, It’s not that bad.” I tried to reassure him. “I’d like to think of it as an...interesting adventure.”  
“.....I stand by my sentiment.”  
I shook my head. “ _Now_ , who’s the baby?”  
He shot me a glare, awaiting my request.  
“I would like you to join me on a trip to a Spirit Halloween store.” I answered.  
He held his glare. “...I’m waiting for the catch.  
“.....thaaat’s about two and a half hours away…” I shot him a semi nervous grin in an attempt to sway him.  
“TWO and a half hours?! For a Halloween store?” He chuckled at the absurdity.  
“It’s the closest one we have!” I explained. “Look around. Do you see any Halloween stores?”   
He looked, sarcastically, around the immediate area. “Yeah, you got me. I really don’t.”  
“You know what I mean.” I sighed. “Come on, pleeeease?”  
He shook his head in obviously genuine disappointment. “Damnit, you know I can’t say no to that.” He sighed. “....Fine...but we’re taking your car…...or Liz’s car, or whatever. I’m not finding a tree to change behind just so you can get your jollies.”  
“Well, when you put it that way, you make me sound like a perv.” I chuckled.  
He rolled his eyes. “You know what I mean.”  
I gently nudged his shoulder back. “I do, I just-” I cut off when I noticed that my nudging him had caused some of his coffee to splash out.   
He shot me a particularly “really?”-esque look  
“....my bad.” I tried to hold back laughter.  
“You’re just on a damn roll today, aren’t ya?” He was also trying his best not to laugh.  
“An _accidental_ one, mind you.” I added.  
“Sure….” He air quoted while losing the battle not to laugh. “Accident.”  
“It was!” I insisted. “Come onnn!”  
“Whateeever you say.” He snickered, taking my hand again. “Anyway, let’s circle back around, and then head off to your car.”  
“Sounds like a plan.” I chuckled.

“Alright, it should be on the left side pretty soon…” I announced as we finally approached the street we needed. “Keep an eye out for it.”  
Eijah, who’d been lazily slumped in the passenger seat for the past few hours, finally sat back up, rubbing his eyes. “Why am _I_ keeping an eye out for it if it’s coming up on _your_ side?”  
“There is a windshield and, oh look. Other windows besides mine that you can look out of.” I teased.  
“Wow, really?” He muttered something else under his breath that I couldn’t quite make out.  
“Alright, Cranky, just tell me if you see it.” I chuckled.  
“Nah, I thought I’d keep it to myself.”  
I rolled my eyes. “Geez, what’d I do? Wake you from your nap or something?”  
“I may have started to doze.” He shrugged. “Because _somebody’s_ so called two and a half hour trip turned into a _three_ and a half hour one.”  
“Well, _excuuuse_ me for not being a navigational system.” I laughed. “I just got us a little lost, give me a break.”  
“Fiine.” He sighed, glancing over at my phone as it apparently went off. “Phone’s buzzing.”  
“Check the name?” I asked, not taking my eyes off the shopping centers we were passing.  
He glanced back at the phone screen. “It’s a text from Leon.”  
I shrugged. “Just leave it then.”  
He looked up at me like I was crazy. “You know, you’re gonna have to let him know where you are, at some point. I’m afraid he’s gonna microchip one of us eventually or something.”  
I rolled my eyes. “He knows where I am, he just doesn’t like it. And what, you’re making dog jokes about _yourself_ now?” I chuckled at that last part.  
He was trying not to grin. “Very funny.”  
“I’m not a kid and he’s not my dad. If he wants me living back at the house with them, he’s just gonna have to find a way to get over that.”  
He nodded. “You raise a totally valid point there.”  
I sighed. “Would it make you happy if I bought you Starbucks for your grand sacrifice?”  
That got me a little smile from him. “.....I mean...if you’re offering, I’m not gonna say no…”  
I shook my head. “Fine, we’ll stop by a Starbucks on the way there.”  
“Now that’s what I like to hear.” He said a little more enthusiastically. “I think there’s one right up ahead of us.”  
I looked toward where he was pointing. “Aha, right across from Spirit, too.”  
He glanced over to the shopping center on the opposite side from where he’d pointed out the Starbucks. “Ahh, so it is. Win/Win then.”


	25. Cheap Thrills

**Elijah’s POV**

“Thank you, have a good day.” Nico handed me my drink as he pulled away from the Starbucks, chuckling as I shook my head at him. “What? I didn’t spill this one yet.”  
“It is so important to your future that you scrape that yet off the end of that sentence.” I teased.   
“Geez, my bad.” He rolled his eyes at me. “What, then?”  
“How do you know a barista all the way over here in Silverdale?”   
“Oh, that.” He laughed. “What? You think I’m cheating on you with the barista now?”  
“I mean, it was just a question, but now I do.”  
He shook his head. “My God, it was a joke.”  
“I don’t know…” I snickered. “You’re acting _awfully_ defensive about it.”  
“You know what, I’m gonna let that slide because I deserve it for continually sabotaging your coffee.” He sighed. “But anyway, me and my previous coffee addiction have just gotten around. I have a cousin who lives up in Seattle I used to visit a lot and the barista in question used to work at the one by his house. Apparently she moved and works at this one now.”  
“Lighten up, you know I’m just screwing with ya for sabotaging my coffee.” I chuckled. “That’s cool though.”  
“Thank you.” He sighed. “....I’m gonna choose to believe that.”  
“.....maybe she moved out here to be closer to you.” I snickered.   
He pulled the car over at the first chance he got. “Alright, _now_ you’re making my hypothetical cheating scenario sound like the plot of a bad _Lifetime movie._ ” He was trying desperately not to laugh.  
“Isn’t that the plot of every _Lifetime_ movie?” I pointed out.  
“Every _new_ one, anyway.” He rolled his eyes. “They actually used to have some decent ghost stories every once in a while, back when my sister would try to get me into em.”  
I nodded, sensing this was venturing into territory he didn’t wanna get into. “Ahh..”  
“Yeah, that’s...that’s a story for another day.” He shrugged, starting the car back up to continue on to _Spirit._ “The short of it iissss...thaaat I don’t talk about having a sister that much because she was not exactly on board with the whole gender thing...sooo, that was starting to fall apart even before I got turned.”  
“...I’m sorry..”  
He just shrugged it off as we pulled up into the shopping center. “It is what it is.”

He pulled his mask up over his face as he pulled the car into the parking space, clearly noticing as I picked up my cup.  
“I don’t think you can bring that in, what with mask laws and all.”  
“Wasn’t planning on it” I explained, taking another sip from it. “I’m just keeping it safe from you until you get out of the car.”  
“Oh my God!” He exclaimed, trying not to laugh….and failing. “I seriously can’t win with you, can I.”  
“Still teasing.” I snickered. “In actual fact, I’m just about done with it. Just bringing it along to toss it in that trash can right by the door.”  
“Already?” He marveled. “Shit, and people thought _I_ was impressive for how fast I could down one of those.”  
I chuckled, taking a last sip from my cup. “Well then, those people just have never met me.”  
“I guess not.” He chuckled back, still impressed.

“Hey guys, welcome to _Spirit_.” A girl over at the front desk greeted us.  
I gave a small wave in response, as I followed Nico into the store. “Alright.” I chuckled. “Lead the way.”  
He shot me a particularly sinister looking grin. “Right this way, Sir.”   
He led me just a little bit further down, stopping in front of a row of animatronics.  
There was a Pennywise...among various other evil clowns, the kid from _Trick r Treat_ , and a Michael Myers.   
“This is what I rode three and a half hours with you for?” I teased.   
“Nahhh..” He answered, gesturing for me to come over. “ _This_ is what you rode three and a half hours with me for. Come on, come look.”  
I sighed, shaking my head. “If you say so.”  
“I know so.” He chuckled. “Come on.”  
“Coming, I’m coming.” I chuckled, looking around the immediate area when I reached him. “Alright, what?”  
“Look right here.” He pointed out.  
“What?”  
He pointed, again, in the same direction. “Right here, look!”  
I took a closer look to find a moderately sized spider...what was so great about it, I attempted to figure out. “...A spider?” I chuckled. “Is that it?”  
“Well, no.” He insisted. “Look closer at it, I think it’s missing an eye!”  
I sighed. “Nico, what the hell are you-” But I was cut off when the spider suddenly sprang up at me, seemingly out of nowhere, causing me to jump back at least a few feet “JESUS!!! Are you trying to give me a heart attack?!”  
He just started laughing hysterically. “Isn’t he great? You can control most of these guys just by pressing your foot down on one of these buttons!” He gestured toward the floor where, sure enough, sat a little square that was just big enough to step on.   
“Alright, dually noted!” I chuckled nervously. “I reiterate my earlier point though, this is what I came all the way up here with you for?!”  
That evil little grin, that I was having the damndest time resisting, returned to his face. “Maybee…”  
I sighed, shaking my head again. “My God…” I muttered. “You’re _seriously_ gonna give me a heart attack one of these days. You know?”  
“Yeah, yeah. Noise, noise.” He snickered. “Come on, I’ll show you the rest of the store.”  
“Ohh joy…” I answered, sarcastically. “I can’t wait.”  
I let him take me by the hand and lead me further into the store.


	26. Uncalled For

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This soon ass update has been brought to you byyy: I wrote last night's chapter a week ago and forgot to post it...hahaaa (*facepalm*).
> 
> So, I guess enjoy an early update!

**Nico’s POV**

My focus had become so caught up in the wall of face masks that, naturally, caught my eye that I almost didn’t hear Elijah trying to get my attention from the nearby aisle he’d been looking in.  
“Nico! Nic-” His eyes fell to the small wall of masks as soon as he reached me, shaking his head in disappointment. “See, I was afraid you were waiting to jump out and scare me, but now, I think I’d actually prefer it.” He teased.  
“Aren;t these great though? Look! They have bandanas too!” I held one, which had the bottom half of a skull on it, in front of my face. “What do you think?”  
“I think it’s time for an intervention.”  
I rolled my eyes. “About the mask, Silly.”  
“I know.” He couldn’t help but chuckle. “How many is that now? Fifty?”  
“Sixty-five.” I corrected. “And quite frankly, I’m a little hurt that you would forget that. Some stalker you are.”  
He rolled his eyes back at me. “My bad.”  
“Very bad.” I snickered, the bandana still in my hand as I stood up.  
“And of course you’re getting that.” He sighed, rolling his eyes again. “Anyway, anywhere else you wanna look? Maybe some fake blood?” He chuckled.  
“I think I’m good, although I think they’ve got some decent werewolf costumes, if you’re interested.” I smirked.  
“Ha Ha.” He was trying so hard not to smile.  
“What? They _do!_ ” I laughed. “What? You think I should lie?”  
He sighed, shaking his head again. “I think I don’t have enough coffee in me for this.”  
“Then I’ll buy you another one on our way home.” I chuckled, urging him to follow me to the other side of the store.  
“I’m holding you to that.”

“....All I’m saying…” I tried to convince him with a smirk. “..is that if you let me do some effects makeup with your eye, you could easily be the werewolf from _Silver Bullet_ .”  
“Still a riot, man.” He chuckled, anxious to change the subject. “Hey look, more masks!”  
I shook my head when I looked up to see that he meant Halloween masks.  
..And, awww , you can’t even try them on…” He added, noting the sign that read that they were asking people to refrain from trying them on, due to the threat of Covid. “What a bummer..”  
I shook my head sarcastically. “I know, my heart is broken. I don’t think I can go on now.”  
“Oh no.” He chuckled sarcastically. “What will I do without you, besides keeping my Starbucks drinks intact?”  
“Now, that Is uncalled for.” I Laughed. “When are you gonna let me live that down?”  
Never.” He teased. “I thought we established this already.”  
I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, yeah. Oh, hey look. A werewolf mask!” I snickered.  
“Very funny.” He sighed as I ran over to pick it up.  
He reluctantly followed me over.  
“Anyone looking?” I whispered.  
“I’m tempted to say there is.”  
“I’ll take that as a _no._ ” I chuckled, holding the mask over my face.  
“Alright, now I’m confused.” He laughed. “I thought the joke was supposed to be that _I_ was the werewolf.”  
“Good point.” I tossed it over to him. “You try it on then.”  
He shook his head, looking over both shoulders to make sure no one was coming before he held it over his face, “Happy now?”  
“Very. You look really cute with that on.” I smirked, briefly lowering my mask to kiss his on the nose.  
“If you say so.” He chuckled,taking the mask off. :...Still not buying it though.”  
“The mask or that you look cute in it?”  
He shook his head again. “Well both, now that you mention it.” He hooked the mask back up on the wall..  
I chuckled a little. “You are just no fun sometimes, you know that?”  
“Sure, sure. Say, maybe we should find some vampire capes for you!” He teased.  
I, slightly overdramatically, gasped. “I would _love_ a vampire cape!”  
He crossed his arms with a smirk. “Then why don’t you have one?”  
“You make a good point.” I teased back, indicating for him to follow me again. “Let’s go find one...or two..or three.”  
“Well, now who’s being no fun?” He called out, trying not to laugh. “Instantly regretting saying anything.”  
“You should be!” I laughed. “Regardless, get over here!”  
“Coming, I’m coming.” He sighed. “Regrettably, I’m coming.”

“Alright, what do you think?” I asked, bringing the cape that I was wearing up in front of my face.  
“You like?” I added in my best _Dracula_ impersonation.  
“I think I regret agreeing to come along with you.” He chuckled.  
“Do you want your Starbucks after this or not, Mister?” I teased.  
He rolled his eyes. “Alright, I’m sorry. Anyway, turn around again?”  
I smirked, spinning back around to show off the cape.  
This brought a smile back to his face. “Alright, I guess you do look cute in that one.”  
“Good.” I chuckled. “Because I think I liked the other one better.”  
“Oh my God…” He sighed, putting a hand to his face. “Are you serious?”  
“Dead serious.” I looked back up at him as I took this one off. “Why, do I not look cute in the other one?”  
:Damnit.” He muttered under his breath. “That’s not fair, you know I can’t resist the puppy-dog face..  
“I wonder why.” I smirked putting the other cape back on.  
“I’m not even gonna attempt to dignify that with a response.” He chuckled, watching as I adjusted it to my fitting. “Alright, I suppose you were right about that one.”  
“I know I’m right about it.” I corrected.  
“Whateverrrr.” He whined. “Are you about ready then?”  
“Ohhh, anxious for our Starbucks, are we?” I snickered.  
“.....Well, that’s neither here nor there….” He attempted to fib.  
“...So, that’s a _yes_ then?” I smirked, tucking the cape away in the bag it came in. “Whatever, I suppose you’ve earned it.”  
“You said it, not me.” He chuckled.


	27. Timing

**Elijah’s POV**

“Are you sure I can’t get you anything?” The barista at the Starbucks drive thru asked as Nico handed me my drink. “Not like you to turn coffee down twice in the same day.”  
“I’m good, really.” Nico chuckled, picking up an empty reusable Starbucks cup to show her. “See? Got my coffee today.”  
“I stand corrected then.” She chuckled. “Well, have a good day.”  
“You too.”

I shot him a look as we were pulling away from the drive thru.  
“What now?” He laughed.  
I shook my head.”Alright, so we’re just gonna pretend that she wasn’t just all over you.” I see  
“Says, Mister _I’m not jealooouus._ ” He mocked.  
I rolled my eyes as I took a sip of my coffee. “Cute.”  
“I like to think so.” He snickered proudly. “Seriously though, she has a boyfriend.”  
“....as far as you know.” I teased.  
“I swear to God, I will slam on these brakes and spill-” He started to say.  
“You wouldn’t DARE!”  
“Try me.” He challenged, with a mischievous grin on his face  
I shook my head, trying not to laugh. “I’m dating a damn child, I swear.”  
“Yeah, yeah. Laugh it up.” He smirked. “You just called yourself a pedophile.”  
“I- Shut up.” I chuckled.  
“Mmmm hmm.”

We managed to make better timing getting back to the reservation than we didgetting to the Halloween store...somehow.  
“Alright…” I sighed, hopping out of the car when he parked. “Satisfied?”  
“Sort of…”  
I shot him a suspicious look. “.....I’m afraid to ask what _sort of_ means...::  
“Maybe...might happen, not definite….”  
“You know what I mean.” I sighed.  
“Yeahh, I do…….” He snickered, grabbing the bag of masks he’d bought at Spirit. “A lot more fun this way, though.”  
I sighed. “I disagree, but alright..”  
“Ohhh, come one. You _loved_ it.” He insisted. “...just admit it!”  
“Mmmm….I love going _with you._ ” I corrected. “....And, you know…” I shook my empty cup a little. “.....the Starbucks helps.”  
“Awww…” He reached over my shoulder, from the back, to kiss me on the cheek. “I loved going with you too!”  
My eyes fell back down to the bag. _So many damn masks._ “I still remain convinced that you have a mask problem though….”  
“And Iiiii..” He boasted. “...still remain convinced you don’t have enough masks.”  
I rolled my eyes. “I have three, I don’t go out much unless it’s with you. I think that’s plenty.”  
“For now….”He grumbled. “Fooor now.”  
“Hey, all I’m saying is Masks Anonymous is waiting for you.” I added with a shrug.  
He rolled his eyes. “Yeah, yeah. Cute, cute.”  
“I think I am.” I boasted  
He was trying _so_ hard not to look amused by that.  
“Aaaanyway…” He chuckled. “I’ve got a thing or two I wanna grab at my place-”  
“Masks? Or more Stephen King books this time?”  
“Shut up.” He laughed. “Anyway, wanna come with?”  
“What about Leon and Imogen?”  
He shook his head. “Nah, they’re out hunting today….aaand Liz is doin something with Naomi today, so...we should have the house to ourselves for a while.”   
“I see….I answered. “Alright, suppose I could get on board with that.”  
“Yeah!’ He exclaimed. “That’s the spirit!”  
“Alright, well, lead the way!” I chuckled.

“Huh...alright, so I was _mostly_ right.” Nico pointed out when we arrived.  
I climbed down off of his back. “About…?”  
“Ah, Liz being gone when we got here.” He explained. “Guess she hasn’t left yet.  
“Oh...well, are you sure that Naomi didn’t just pick her up?”  
Nico shook his head. “Nahh, Le- I mean, I don’t have to tell you how Leah feels about our kind…”  
I chuckled. “Yeah, I suppose not.”  
He nodded. “Well, she always complains about the smell in Naomi’s car when she uses it to pick Liz up, so she tries to avoid it whenever possible.”  
I nodded. “I see…..well, wait a minute... you’ve been borrowing her car…”  
“Yeah, well I dare not even ask about taking Leon’s car. He’d maul me if I tried that after last time.”  
I just stared at him waiting for him to get it….which he did not seem to.  
“What?’  
“I seem to have missed the part in your explanation where Naomi rubs vampire stink on herself to avoid Leon catching her having had a..” I held up air quotes. “ _Mutt_ in his precious car.” I chuckled.  
“Right..that…” He sighed. “..it’s a pity thing. He makes the exception for her because he feels bad about what happened to her sister before she met him.  
“Ahh….”  
“Yeah…..” He shook his head as if trying to shake the thought from his mind. Well, anyways, shall we?” He added, leading me toward the house.

Liz was throwing on her coat, on her way out the door when we walked in.  
“Since when do you use the door?” She teased Nico.  
“Very funny.” He chuckled.  
She smirked. “Hey, Elijah.”  
I gave her a small wave. “Long time no see.”  
“For both of you…” She remarked, to which Nico just rolled his eyes. “Anyway, I am on my way out of your hair, so don’t mind me.”  
Nico nodded. “Alright, well have fun.”  
“You too.”   
“Ohhh, _we will_.” Nico answered suggestively, though Liz was already out the door.  
He snickered. “Alright, I will be two minutes and then I will grab you something from the kitchen, and we can watch something til we have to head out.”  
I gave him a thumbs up. “Sounds good.”  
He nodded and lept up to the second floor, while I kicked back on the couch.

“Alright, I brought you some chips, popcorn, aaand your disappointing choice in coffee roasts.” He announced when he came back.  
I shook my head. “I’m going to ignore your little dig on my taste to inform you that aiding in my caffeine addiction is very bad boyfriend behavior, Sir.” He teased.  
“Yes, well I think my shaming said taste balances it out as it discourages you.”  
“Well, clearly not, since I’m about to drink it, aren;t I?” I laughed, taking the drink from him.  
“True….now I’m just being an even worse boyfriend by not confiscating it when the original plan failed.” He laughed.  
I chuckled. “Yes, well I also believe your unnecessarily going out of your way to provide me with snackage when you don’t even eat balances it out even more.”  
“Did it occur to you that perhaps it’s because don’t eat I _extra_ don’t mind?” He suggested. “I mean, it’s not like I can feel bad about you eating in front of me.  
“Ughh, faaaiirr.” I admitted.  
“Yeeeaahhh!” He was about to sit down next to me when we heard a thump from upstairs.  
“Did you hear something?”  
“Yeah….” He answered. “Sounded like it came from Liz’s room.”  
“Huhh...:”  
He set the tray of stuff down. “Stay here, I’ll go check it out.”  
“Well, that’s not the start to every horror movie ever.” I teased, but he was already upstairs.  
“You forget something?” I heard him call out when he reached her door, which was apparently closed.


	28. Not Your Bro

**Nico’s POV**

“You forget somethin?!” I called out as I approached Liz’s door.  
I waited a few minutes for her to respond before I knocked on her door and called out to her again. “Liz?”  
Finally I opened the door, expecting to see her climbing in her window...possibly with headphones or somethin.  
I stopped dead in my tracks when Leon stood before me instead.  
“Well, well, well…” He snickered. “Look what the cat dragged in.” He walked over to where I was and took a whiff. “Or shall I say, mutt?”  
I threw him off me and at the wall. “FUCK off, Leon!!”  
“I’m just saying it like it is, bro.” He attempted to defend, trying to approach me again.”W-”  
“You’re being a BULLY, is what you are!” I snarled, throwing him back again. “And I am NOT your bro, not if you’re gonna be like that!”   
“What’s gotten into y-”  
“Are you actually THAT dumb, to let spew out of your mouth what I think you’re gonna say?!”  
He just stood speechless while I continued.  
“ _What's gotten into me_ , is that it is all..” I spoke with airquotes. “...I wanted to give you your life back, and go, be yourself, until I bring someone home that’s not quite up to your standards!”  
“Nic-”  
I am NOT finished!” I growled, shuffling my phone out of my pocket and opening it to the SEVERAL missed calls and unanswered texts he’d left me over the course of the week, before throwing it at him. I shook my head. “...If I was _really_ your brother, THIS is what would matter to you..” I threw the phone at him. “...not your petty vendetta.”   
“Nic, it’s a little more compli-”  
“Then UNcomplicate it, Leon!! Tell me why Liz is allowed to have a so called _mutt_ in your car, or BETTER YET, why she can have a _mutt_ in the house without your little comments and digs?”  
I shook my head when he didn’t have an answer, and picked my phone back up. “ I’ll be at Elijah’s house. Call me when you decide to act like the brother you claim to be.”  
“Nico-”  
I ignored him, leaping out the window and taking my phone out to text Elijah to meet me outside.

Elijah came running from around the house, almost as soon as I landed, looking concerned.  
“What happened?”  
I shook my head and sighed. “Bringing you back here was a mistake, I shouldn’t have gambled on how long he’d be out like that.”  
Elijah shrugged. “It’s not your fault.”  
“All the same…” I sighed. “I feel bad about subjecting you to it. Can’t we just have imprinting laws like you guys have where he has to just fuck off?”  
He chuckled at that. “Sure, but only if you take the wolf telepathy along with it. Package deal.”  
“I could deal with that.” I chuckled “I’ve already got Liz in my head, what’s a few more?”  
“Trust me…” He insisted. “It gets _pretty_ old pretty quickly.”  
I nodded. “So does Leon.”  
“So, we going back to my place then or what?” He chuckled.  
“If you don’t mind.”  
“Well, then…” He yanked off his top and looked around as he unbuckled his shorts. “...least I can do is give you a ride.” He tossed his clothes next to my bag as he leapt to phase mid air before I could question it.  
“Damn…” I smirked, tossing his clothes in with my stuff, got my hopes up for a minute there.  
He shook his head, and probably had something about my one track mind to say, if he could communicate it to me.  
“Aww, come on. You looove it.” I teased, leaping onto his back.  
He let out a big wolfy huff before taking off with me through the woods.

“Aww, come oonnn. I don’t even get a peek?” I teased as Elijah pulled his shirt back on.  
He shook his head, clearly amused. “Not yet.” He snickered.  
My eyebrows raised at the word yet. “What’s yet? Like Later?”  
“Maybe...:” He chuckled. “If you’re lucky.  
“Well, in that case, I feel very lucky.” I smirked.  
He came closer to kiss me on the cheek. “As you should.”

“So, what’re you in the mood to start with?” He asked when we got back up to his room.  
“....Like you don’t know.” I smirked.   
“My God.” He shook his head. “One track mind, I swear.”  
“Your fault for sayin _yet_ , Babe.” I snickered, unloading my bag onto his bed when I sat down.  
“You’re right, my bad.” He chuckled. “It’s aalllll on me.”  
“Yeah, you’re bad.” I teased.  
He rolled his eyes and started patting around his general area for something. "Ahhh, shoot!”  
“What?”  
“I lost the remote.” He sighed. “Would you mind checking under the bed for it while I look over here?”  
“I don’t recall seeing it the last time I was under there, but alright.” I agreed.  
“Well, I do recall watching the TV since the last time you were under there.” He teased.  
“That’s right.” I recalled.  
I got under the bed and checked every corner for it for at least five minutes or so. “I don’t think it’s under here!” I announced poking my head out.  
“Are you sure? Why don;t you check again?”  
I shrugged and returned to my position. “Alright, but I don’t really see the poi-” I trailed off when I noticed a gift bag that I’d somehow missed before.   
I didn’t wanna be nosy, but I pulled it out with me as I crawled out from under there, regardless.  
“I’ll bite, what’s this?” I asked.  
“You know you’re just asking for jokes with the vampire puns at this point, right?” He laughed.  
“Very funny. Come on, tell me.” I shook the bag a little.  
He turned around and smiled. “Ohh, that. Why don’t you open it and find out?”  
I grinned, sitting back down on the bed as I removed the tissue paper from it, to reveal what was at the bottom. “What did you do?”  
“You’ll see.” He beamed.  
I shook my head as I reached back in to find that there was a face mask. It was white with red blood splatter on one side and had Redrum spelled out on the other.” I couldn’t stop smiling. “You did not.”  
“Thought it might look good with your costume, Mr. _miniseries_ Jack Torrance.  
“It will look so great! Thank you!” I exclaimed as I went to try it on. “Follow up question, when did you do this?”  
“While you were _mesmerized_ by the mask display at Spirit Halloween.” He explained. “I may have poked around a little on etsy.”  
I threw my arms around him when he sat down next to me. “You’re the best!”  
“I try.”


	29. Live and Let Live

**Liz’s POV**

I was shutting the front door behind me just as Leon was coming down the stairs, all the while shaking his head and muttering to himself.  
“So, it finally happened.” More of a statement than a question.  
“What finally happened?” He scoffed. “And what are you doing back so soon? I thought you had plans.”  
“Forgot my mask.” I explained, grabbing it off the coffee table. “Gotta look the part still, right?”  
“Yeah, I guess you do.” He chuckled. “Wouldn’t wanna get mistaken for an anti-masker.”  
“...Granted, there are worse things to be called…” I sighed. “...But, yeah. Not particularly.”  
“...Sooo, you heard that then.”  
I nodded. “..and I’d sure like an answer to the point he made earlier.”  
“And that point being?”  
“.....It’s a pity thing, isn’t it?” I demanded.  
“What’s a- “ He started to ask, before I cut him off.  
“The wolf thing, the reason you’ll smile and keep your head down when Naomi’s around but God forbid Nico brings his boyfriend around without you turning it into World War three!! It’s because you pity me about what happened to Bree, isn’t it?!”  
“Liz…” He sighed.  
“ISN’T it?!”  
I shook my head at the lack of response from him. “.....Why did you save him?”  
“What do you-?  
“Nico, when he was dying of Covid months ago, why did you save him?  
“.....Because he was only just starting to live his new life as himself, it didn’t seem right that it should be taken away so soon.”  
I nodded.   
“...And what exactly do you think you’re accomplishing by creating this divide between you, by confining yourself to this petty feud you have with the wolves?”  
He shook his head. “It’s not just me, Liz. You know-”  
“That’s not what I asked.”  
Silence……  
“Elijah is a good kid, Lee. You’d know that if you’d just give him a chance.” I continued. “....if you don’t get your damn act together, you _are_ going to lose Nico….and you won’t be able to save him this time.”  
He nodded as he considered what I’d just said.  
“Anyway, I should get going.” I sighed. “Naomi’s waiting for me, I told her I was already on my way.”  
“Alright..”  
I nodded as I made my way to the front door. “Think about what I said.”  
“I will.” He promised.  
“See you later then.”  
“See ya.”

“Well, there you are!” Naomi teased when I finally arrived to pick her up. “I was startin to think you weren’t gonna show!”  
“Right, sorry about that. I meant to text you.” I chuckled. “I’ve just had a lot on my mind.”  
Naomi rolled her eyes as she hopped in the car. “Is Leon _still_ on his dumb little power trip about those two?”  
“Unfortunately.” I sighed. “If anything, it’s gotten worse.”  
She shook her head. “Man, I’d just tell him to get in line. You think _eeeveryone_ on our side of things is thrilled about it? No, have you seen Leah?!” She laughed. “They just all deal with it cause that’s how it is.”  
“Well, you guys also have the advantage of imprinting laws.” I pointed out. “They could all just downright hate it, every one of them, and they’d still have to live and let live about it.”  
“True.” She laughed. “Although, I’m reeeally glad that they don’t...wolf telepathy an all.”  
I nodded. “Fair point.”  
“In any case…” She added. “Good on you for standing up to Leon.  
She immediately explained when she saw the look on my face, tapping at her head. “Wolf telepathy, remember. “Elijah caught some of it before they took off.”  
I turned the key to start the car up. “Right.”


	30. All Apologies

**Nico’s POV**

My phone started going off AGAIN while Elijah and I were watching the less than acceptable _Carrie_ remake on AMC, Elijah putting up with the fact that I only agreed to watch it for mockery purposes….as he should.  
“Ughh, would you check it this time? I’m soooo not in the mood right now….for any of them.”  
He agreed and picked up the phone to read it aloud from the lock screen preview.  
“From Leon….says you left a book there...thaaat he assumes you’re reading cause it had a bookmark in it.” He went ahead and unlocked it, per my request.   
“He also says-”  
“How’d you know my passcode?” I snickered.  
“What is the only Stephen King title that’s a four digit number?” He sighed.  
“Hmmm, _1408_ , _1922_ -”  
“That I would know about…” He sighed again.  
“I’ve been a _baaad_ boyfriend if that’s really what you think.” I teased.  
He rolled his eyes. “ANYway…..he also said he understands if you’re still mad at him and he’ll have Liz drop it off if you’d prefer.”  
“Well, I’d _prefer_ if Leon had an unfortunate run in with The Volturi at this point.” I grumbled.  
“.....I’m going to pretend I know what you’re talking about on that one…”  
“Doesn’t matter…” I shook my head, sliding my legs down off the bed to get up. “...Regardless, I’ll go fetch it myself, don’t wanna drag Liz anymore into this than she has to be.  
“Aha…”  
“...Or you, for that matter.” I added.  
“Right, that’s why you threw in that fetch remark, huh?” He sat there as he realized what he just said. “.....Yes, I heard it too….” He rolled his eyes then looked back at me.  
“I’ll be back.” I promised, sliding one leg out the window.  
“...We were watching a Stephen King movie….that was kind of implied.”  
“It is _adorable_ how you can genuinely call that a Stephen King movie.” I smirked. “But alright, fair enough.  
He sighed.  
I looked back up to see him poking his head out the window.  
“You know, I’m pretty sure vampires can’t spread Covid amongst each other!” He shouted down to me.  
“Maybe I just wanna rub your gift in his face, ever think of that?!” I laughed.  
“Fair enough…” He agreed.  
I waved before I took off. “See ya in a few!”

“It’s in the living room!” Leon called up the stairs when he heard me come in through the window.  
“Of course it is..” I muttered to myself, shaking my head. “...coming!

He was just closing his laptop to look up at me when I came down.  
I looked at the coffee table, then next to Leon, and back up at him when I didn’t see my copy of _The Dead Zone_ anywhere in sight.  
 _Of course…._  
“Alright, I give up. Where’d you hide it?!” I blurted out.  
“You didn’t leave it…” He sighed. “It’s probably still in your bag or at your boyfriend’s place.”  
“Elijah” I corrected.  
“Right, Elijah….” He sighed. “Look, I wanna talk about him. Would you mind, ahh…” He gestured to a chair at the dining table.  
“No.” I answered firmly.  
“Nico, look. I-”  
“I said _NO_.” I near growled.  
“Five minutes…” He pleaded. “Five minutes and then you can leave…”  
“Five minutes and I will leave.” I stated firmly, taking the offered seat.  
“Admittedly…..I probably overreacted to the uhh..situation.”  
“DID overreact.” I corrected, muttering “Great start.” under my breath.  
“....Fine, _did_ overreact.” He shrugged. “Look, my point is I meant what I told you from the very beginning…..that I wanted you to have a fair shot at your new life, that you didn’t deserve to die on that hospital bed.”  
“Solid beginning.” I interrupted.  
He let out an exasperated sigh but continued. “Look, Nico, I don’t like him, and it’s not a personal thing, I don’t like _any_ of them…….” He sighed. “.....but….”  
“...But?”  
“....but….” He added. “....It was wrong of me to try to drag _you_ into all that….you and I are not the same person, you should form your own opinions about them.”  
I didn’t respond, just stared at him, waiting for him to wrap this up.  
“...And I’d be lying if I didn’t think this was just some...well, I don’t wanna say phase, but….”  
“...But you’re thinking it.”  
“....I just...look, Elijah isn’t the first person you’ve-” He shook his head. “I guess I just..”  
“Didn’t think it was serious…” I shook my head. “Well, I guess you were wrong about that too…”  
“....And even if it wasn’t, I should’ve-”  
“Fucked off?”  
He sighed. “....I wasn’t gonna put it quite like that, but sure….I guess I should’ve.”  
“Guess you should’ve.” I muttered.  
“Anyway…...we miss you around here…...and if you’ll accept my apology….I’ll try to be better from here on out.”  
“.....We’ll see what happens.” I answered, standing up from the table. “Can I go now? …...or was there anything else?”  
He nodded.  
I looked back at him for another moment and left without saying anything else.

Elijah was laid out on his bed, with his sketchbook propped on his knees and a pen in his hand, unaware that I was right outside his window….ready to creep in.

I waited for him to add the finishing touches to it before I snuck in, crawled across the room and peered over his bed. “.....You know, if you do it in pen, you’re just gonna be screwed if you mess up!” I teased.  
“DAMNIT, NICO!!” He blurted out, tossing his stuff across the bed.  
“.....My bad…” I snickered. “So what were you drawing?”  
“Ehhh...don’t worry about it.” He shrugged, trying to change the subject when he looked over at me. “..Where’s your book?”  
“My what?”  
“Your book.” He reminded me. “....the whole reason why you humored Leon in the first place?”  
“Right, that…” I scoffed. “Ahh, there was no book over there.”  
“What do you-”  
“I _mean_..” I sighed. “That he just used that to get me back over there...to talk about things.”  
He looked genuinely concerned now. “Like..what things?”  
I shrugged. “......He apologized…...basically claimed that he would…” I held up air quotes. “ _Try_ to be better or whatever if I accept his apology.”  
“.......So what are you going to do?”  
“Well…..” I shrugged, plopping myself down next to him on the bed. “Right now I am going to watch a crappy remake with my boyfriend.” I smirked.   
“...I see, and have you told him about- “ He started to gesture between the two of us before I interrupted him by playfully smacking him with one of my paperbacks.  
“Oh, get out of here, would you?!” I laughed as he put his hands up in defense, giggling uncontrollably.  
Eventually he...came close to gaining the upper hand, so I let him pin me down. “Alright, I give, I give.” I laughed. “I give.”  
“That’s what I like to hear.” He chuckled proudly.  
I snickered, reaching over for his sketchbook. “So, seriously, I’m curious- ”  
“Give me that!” He was trying not to laugh as he snatched it back from me. He shook his head and whined as he turned one of the pages. “...It was supposed to be a surprise.”  
“What wa- “ I started to ask before he revealed he’d been drawing me. I took it back from him to marvel over it. “.....you did this while I was gone?”  
“......Maybe…..”  
I grinned. “From memory?”  
He shrugged.   
“...and yet you claim you’re not talented.” I rolled my eyes. “My God, if _this_ ain't talented, then what the hell is?  
“Mmmmm, you’re just being nice.” He chuckled nervously. “I totally screwed up, see the eyes aren’t quite aligned right, and your nose- “  
I interrupted him by pulling him close enough to kiss him. “It’s amazing.” I kissed him again. “.... _You’re_ amazing.”  
“Well, I don’t know about amazing, but I knew you’d love it still.”  
“Love it is an understatement.” I corrected. “Seriously, I will treasure this forever.  
He kissed me back. “Well, I’m glad you think so.”  
“I love you…”  
“I love _you_.”


	31. Bumming

**Elijah’s POV**

I looked up over the notebook page, on which I was drawing, to see Nico’s blood red eyes still gazing back at me. Not particularly unusual of course, but..somewhat off.  
 _Man, what I wouldn’t give to be in his head once in a while._  
“Take a picture, it’ll last longer.” I teased, returning my attention back to my piece.  
He chuckled. “Well, you’re _you._ I can’t help myself.”  
“Mmmnm” I nodded. “Am I really so fascinating to stare at for…” I glanced over at my alarm clock. “Geez, _two_ hours, now?”   
“Would I lie to you?” He asked.  
“Probably not, but I won’t say _never._ ”  
“Fiiine.” He admitted. “I’ll give you that.  
“Anyway…” I added, scrawling a finishing touch on my piece. “What’s eatin ya?”  
“I don’t follow…”  
I looked back up at him and shrugged. “You just look a little spaced out…..and I’m NOT buying that I’m really just that fascinating to look at.” I added with a little smirk.  
“I disagree.” He rolled his eyes. “But I digress….and I wouldn’t say it’s _eating_ at me.” He corrected.  
I started shading in some missed parts. “What would you call it then?”  
“How you originally put it, spaced out……..lost in thought.” He shrugged. “Something more along those lines.”  
“....Fair enough..” I agreed. “Would this thing have anything to do with what happened with Leon?”  
He looked up at me, hesitating for only a moment before he answered. “....little bit…” He admitted.  
I nodded, putting my pen to my chin as I looked back at him. “You wanna talk about it?”  
“Well, only if you look at me like _that_ while you listen.” He teased.  
“My God…” I muttered, rubbing my temples. “One track mind, I swear.”  
“It’s a shame you’re not in it..” He smirked.  
I shook my head. “And to think, just a moment ago, I was actually _envious_ of Liz that she could be.”  
“Ohhhhh, Liz HATES havin to be in my head so often.” He boasted with that same devilish smirk.  
“Yeah, I’m SURE she does.” I laughed. “I can only imagine the things you must make that poor girl look at.”  
“Mmmnn, your fault for lookin like that.”  
“Alright, that’s it!” I announced, trying to stifle another laugh as I swiped the shirt up that was laying across his lap. “Just for that, the shirt’s going back _on_.”  
“Awww noooo! Come on, really?” He whined.  
“Yeah, really.”  
“Noooo. Give it baaack. I swear, I’ll be good.”  
“Mnn mmm...too late.” I snickered, slipping it back on over my head. “Prove to me you can be good, and maybe I’ll consider taking it back off.”  
He rolled his eyes as he slumped back against the wall. “This is manipulation, and I don’t have to take it.”  
I sighed. “You’re such a little drama king sometimes, you know?”  
“Only _sometimes_..?” He prodded.  
“Fine, _all_ the time.” I sighed. “Wasn’t meant to be a compliment.”  
“Too late, can’t take it back now.” He boasted.  
“The horror…” I chuckled. “Now drop it, so I can finish this, will you? I wanna give you my full attention if you’re willing to tell me more about what ended up happening with Leon…”  
“You don’t play fair…” He muttered, folding his arms across his chest.  
“Waaaasn’t trying to.”

I shaded in the last spot and set down my notebook...and my pen, after his little remark, to hear about what happened back at his place.

He told me all about how Leon had sat him down when he got there and the conversation they had, in which Leon claimed to realize his wrongdoing and about how he was going to do better from this point on, that he’d bite my tongue if Nico decided to have me over, etcetera, etcetera.  
It was clear in Nico’s eyes, as he spoke, that he wasn’t quite buying any of it….and that’s if he was putting it nicely.

“...So what are you thinking you wanna do then?” I asked when he was finished.  
He just looked at me and shrugged. “...I don’t know….I know I can’t go on bumming around here like I have been, not 24/7, anyway.”  
“Come on, that’s not true.” I tried to reassure him. “Sam and Em love you, you’re more than welcome to stay as long as you need to.”  
“Well, I still feel like a bum.” He chuckled.  
“You are not a _bum_ , Nic.” I sighed. “Not when I’m offering.”  
“Hmm...a freeloader, then.”  
“Why? Cause you eat up all our food?” I teased. “Please, you’re sorta the best kind of guest to have.”  
He let a little smile slip at that. “Ooonly sorta?”  
“ _much_ more than _sorta..”_ I corrected, playfully pinning him down as I caught him off guard.  
“Well, this is a hot angle.” He smirked, still underneath me.  
I couldn’t help but snicker this time. “You know what, you’ve earned it.”  
“Damn right I have.” He teased. “Say, I was promised the shirt would come back off if I behaved.  
“Damn child, I swear.” I growled playfully, deciding to oblige. “Very well, your wish is my command, Sir.”  
He smiled and made a gimme motion with his hands, at the shirt in question before I could toss it back off the bed.  
“...and only because I’m feeling particularly generous today.” I added.  
“And how generous might that be?” He prodded.  
“...Get over here, and I’ll show you.” I smirked, grabbing him as he playfully attempted to wrestle me for control.  
“You’re not gonna win, you know.” I boasted.  
He managed to gain control as he pinned me down on my back. “That’s because I _let_ you win.”  
“That is not true.” I insisted, I caught you in a moment of weakness, at the very least.”  
He laughed at this. “You say that like it makes it any better for you.”  
“Yeah, I knew it as soon as I said it.” I sighed, looking up at him as I plotted my next move. “Damn you were right. This is a hot angle.”  
“Usually am.” He snickered proudly.


End file.
